A decade on Japan is still grappling with the environmental impact of Fukushima
Decontamination efforts appear to have been effective, but concerns remain about disposal of contaminated soil and water, as well as the need for long-term future monitoring
On 11 March 2011 a massive earthquake struck just off the eastern coast of Japan. The subsequent tsunami devastated the eastern seaboard of Japan’s Tōhoku region and led to disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. The damage to the power station resulted in the release of a range of radionuclides, including caesium-134, caesium-137 and iodine-131 into the atmosphere. Ten years on, decontamination efforts appear to have been effective, but concerns remain about disposal of contaminated soil and water, as well as the need for long-term future monitoring.