WA state doing some monitoring of tsunami debris for radiation

[Emily]

Beach clean-up on Washington coast may turn up tsunami debris

by GLENN FARLEY / KING 5 News
KTVB.COM

Posted on April 22, 2012 at 1:42 PM
[snip]
Al Conklin is a radiation helth physicist with the State Department of Health.

He says the isotopes either in sea water or on the debris are long gone.

"But because people are worried about it we volunteered to come out and make sure we haven't found anything. As expected. It would be highly unlikely," he said.

http://www.doh.wa.gov/Topics/japan/2012/debris.htm

How will the Washington State Department of Health decide what tsunami debris to survey or sample along our coastline?

We agree with other government agencies and informed scientists that the debris is highly unlikely to be radioactive. We plan to send staff to survey/sample:

• If the debris is marked or labeled as radioactive material.
• If the debris is painted magenta and yellow (international colors associated with radiation).
• When requested by local officials to support public concerns within the coastal communities.
• If debris marked with Japanese script (kanji) washes ashore (the first few times after the NOAA models predict it will arrive in Washington).
• If first responder radiation readings are greater than agency guidelines.

What is the Washington State Department of Health doing to prepare for the predicted arrival of the tsunami debris in 2013?

Our agency?s Office of Radiation Protection coordinates our response with international, federal, regional, state and local governments. Specific activities include:

• Attending community meetings in affected counties, and participating in other public, partner and media education efforts.
• Performing limited radiological surveys in coastal communities.
• Performing limited sampling of fish (i.e., salmon and steelhead) for contamination.
• Attending an Earth Day beach cleanup in April 2012 to learn about the types of debris we can normally expect, allowing us to establish baseline readings.
• Developing?with other government agencies?a unified plan for the debris.

Reminder: no beach debris or driftwood should ever be used as firewood, radioactive or not.

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/news/2012/itn01_debris.html

Please don?t burn any tsunami debris ? burning wood or natural vegetation that has soaked in saltwater creates dangerous toxic pollution. In Washington, burning garbage is always illegal.