JAPAN CONSIDERS UNUSUAL FIXES TO CONTAIN NUCLEAR PLANT

 

                            This photo from an unmanned air drone shows the extensive damage

                            to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

From CSMonitor.com

Sticky resin may help. On Thursday, Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) plans to test it, spraying this adhesive substance on an area of ground near the plant, said Japanese nuclear safety authorities on Wednesday. The idea is to glue down any fallen radioactive particles.

A giant tarp has also been proposed. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said nuclear experts might cover reactor buildings with a special material to try and stop emission of radioactive substances.

The US is readying a shipment of radiation-hardened robots to help the Japanese fight this problem, said Peter Lyons, acting assistant secretary of the US Department of Energy.

“We’re moving expeditiously to ship not only the robots but also operators who [would] train Japanese operators,” Dr. Lyons told a Senate committee on Tuesday.

That officials are considering such unusual approaches reflects the fact that, despite some progress in restoring electricity to the Fukushima complex, the nuclear crisis has no end in sight.

“We are not in a situation where we can say we will have this under control by a certain period,” Mr. Edano told reporters at a Wednesday news briefing.

It looks like things could be getting worse at the nuclear plant.  It might take a full year to get this situation contained (it looks doubtful Fukushima will ever generate electricity again) and even its possible there are going to be many new issues popping up.