Large-Scale Decontamination Program Launches Across 11 Municipalities

The government launched a massive decontamination program across 11 municipalities in Fukushima Prefecture, covering approximately 1,150 km² designated as Special Decontamination Areas. Workers in full protective equipment removed topsoil, scraped pavements, pressure-washed buildings, and stripped bark from trees. Millions of 1-tonne flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs) of contaminated soil were stored at tens of thousands of temporary sites. The program ultimately generated ~14 million bags of contaminated material.