title: Disaster waste characteristics and radiation distribution as a result of the Great East Japan Earthquake.
abstract: The compounded impacts of the catastrophes that resulted from the Great East Japan Earthquake have emphasized the need to develop strategies to respond to multiple types and sources of contamination. In Japan, earthquake and tsunami-generated waste were found to have elevated levels of metals/metalloids (e.g., mercury, arsenic, and lead) with separation and sorting more difficult for tsunami-generated waste as opposed to earthquake-generated waste. Radiation contamination superimposed on these disaster wastes has made it particularly difficult to manage the ultimate disposal resulting in delays in waste management. Work is needed to develop policies a priori for handling wastes from combined catastrophes such as those recently observed in Japan.
authors.affiliation: Institute for the Study of the Environment, Sustainability, & Energy and School of Nursing & Health Studies, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois 60115, United States. tshibata@niu.edu
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Solo-Gabriele
authors.forename: Toshimitsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hata
mesh_terms: D004190:Disasters; D055866:Earthquakes; D059029:Electronic Waste / Q000032:analysis; D005843:Geography; D007564:Japan; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis; D011827:Radiation; D011850:Radioactive Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis; D018505:Waste Management
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D011850:Radioactive Waste; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive