Information Concerning the Earthquake Centered off the Pacific Coast of the Tohoku Region (Notification No. 8, March 28, 2011)

As of March 18, 2011, the Mie Prefecture Health and Environment Research Institute has been monitoring tap water in Mie Prefecture daily for signs of radioactive contamination. The Institute has also been monitoring rainwater and atmospheric dust for radioactive particles via samples that are continuously collected 24 hours a day. Because radiation level data take 6 hours to process, observations of radiation levels are conducted once a day.

（Results）

There have been no harmful non-natural radioactive particles detected in tap water or precipitation in Mie Prefecture. However, there have been a few days when tiny amounts of Iodine-131 were detected in precipitation. The amounts detected have no affects towards the health of Mie residents.

※the term ”non-natural radioactive particles” is defined here as: particles released as a result of nuclear experimentation and/or nuclear energy production, e.g. Iodine-131 and Cesium-137.

Radioactivity monitoring data collected since March 18, 2011 can be viewed at the following website:

http://www.pref.mie.lg.jp/KOHO/HP/tohoku/data/index.htm

The aforementioned website presents data in Japanese. To help you interpret the charts on the aforementioned website, we have translated several important terms below. Please use the translation below as a reference when viewing radiation monitoring data.

（１）水道水の放射能（単位はミリベクレル/キログラム）　毎日午前10時頃更新予定

（（１）Radiation levels observed in tap water (measured in units of mBq/kg), updates scheduled for approximately 10AM each day.）

 

(２)降下物の放射能（単位はメガベクレル/平方キロメートル）毎日午後６時頃更新予定

((２)Radiation levels observed in precipitation (measured in units of M Bq/sq km), updates scheduled for approximately 6PM each day.)

 

 

〔Note〕Japan’s Nuclear Safety Commission has set the following upper limits for radiation in drinking water.

Cesium-137　200 Bq/kg （200,000 m Bq/kg）
Iodine-131　　300 Bq/kg （300,000 m Bq/kg）
※In the event that observed radiation levels exceed the above limits, please refrain from consuming the affected water. In these cases, use of tap water for other purposes (e.g. toilet water, etc.) is still safe.