British expert joins Fukushima task force

A British nuclear expert is joining the international task force advising on the clean-up at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant. Fukushima was the site of a nuclear disaster in 2011 when […]

A British nuclear expert is joining the international task force advising on the clean-up at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant.

Fukushima was the site of a nuclear disaster in 2011 when three of its reactors went into meltdown, critically damaged by the deadly tsunami and earthquake.

Owner of the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant TEPCO has a tough challenge to deal with radioactivity, recently planning to build an underground “ice wall” to contain seepage of radioactive water.

Dr Rex Strong is Head of Nuclear Safety at nuclear waste site Sellafield in West Cumbria.

He will combine his new role on the Nuclear Safety Task Force with his existing one, it was revealed today.

Dr Strong said: “There are things which the Japanese are experiencing for the first time, as they start the process of decommissioning, which we’ve been doing for a long time at Sellafield, and at other nuclear sites in this country and so I’ll be able to represent the UK and share our experience.”

He added: “The progress they are making at Fukushima is remarkable and I’m sure there will be lots of learning for me which I’ll be able to bring back to Sellafield.”

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