Fukushima disaster: 14 years into Japan’s battle to remove 880 tons of nuclear debris

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Workers face intense challenges as radiation remains lethal and tasks must be performed in short shifts. The cleanup inside the damaged reactor buildings remains an immense challenge.

Workers who enter the most hazardous areas still face the “nervous and rushed” conditions described by a team member, pushing through in full protective gear to avoid potentially dangerous radiation exposure.

In the 14 years since a massive cleanup effort has gradually contained radiation, but the interior of the damaged reactor buildings remains perilous. According to AP reporting, workers venturing into the reactor buildings with melted fuel debris must wear full facemasks equipped with filters, multi-layered gloves, socks, hooded hazmat coveralls, waterproof jackets, and helmets.

As they embark on what is estimated to be a century-long decommissioning process, these teams face intense physical and psychological pressures.

A key focus involves removing the 880 tons of melted nuclear fuel, including the reactor cores fused with parts of the internal structure.

In November, a remote-controlled robot retrieved a small piece of melted fuel from inside the damaged No. 2 reactor. This tiny fragment, though minuscule compared to the total volume, provided valuable scientific data on the debris’ composition and condition.

Another sample retrieval mission is planned for the coming weeks. TEPCO spokesperson Masakatsu Takata explained to AP that the extendable robot will attempt to collect material from closer to the reactor’s center, where the nuclear fuel originally melted and fell from the core. The No. 5 reactor, which shares an identical design with No. 2 but was spared extensive damage, serves as a reference site for understanding the original layout.

Inside reactor buildings such as No. 2, radiation levels remain dangerously high despite years of decontamination. AP reported that, in late August, small teams worked in shifts of 15 to 30 minutes to push the robot in and out while remotely operating it.

“Working under high levels of radiation (during a short) time limit made us feel nervous and rushed,” recalled team leader Yasunobu Yokokawa, as quoted by AP. “It was a difficult assignment.” The heavy protective suits, including triple-layered gloves, an extra waterproof jacket, and full-face masks, made basic tasks physically and mentally taxing.

Beyond the reactor interior, some workers assemble a giant roof to cover No. 1’s top floor ahead of spent fuel removal. Others carefully prepare to remove spent fuel units from No. 2’s cooling pool within a few years. Remote-controlled cranes and pre-assembled parts help reduce direct exposure to high radiation areas, especially around Unit 1, which remains among the most contaminated spots.

Safety concerns persist. TEPCO reported incidents in 2023 where workers were accidentally splashed with radioactive sludge. They were hospitalized for burns but ultimately showed no other health effects. A growing number of workers have expressed apprehension about radiation risks, Ono told AP, referencing an annual survey of about 5,500 employees.

14 years after Fukushima: The century-long struggle to remove nuclear debris

The path to removing the plant’s estimated 880 tons of nuclear debris is fraught with technical and human risks

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