Tsunami and Environmental Pollution Hazards: A Note for the Restoration Process

Abstract

The large destruction of industrial facilities, processing factories and urban areas by the 2011 tsunami along the northeast coast of Tohoku Region (Japan) resulted in extensive contamination in most of the flooded areas and coastal waters; an enormous amount of mixed debris and radiation compounded these problems, creating both potential environmental and human health hazards which should be assessed throughout the reconstruction and the restoration process.

Open-air temporary debris storage sites lacking sufficient insulation have likely contaminated air, soil, marine and freshwater bodies with hazardous chemicals along certain areas in Tohoku. Moreover, construction wooden debris treated with biocides, weathering fixatives and fire retardants accumulated in the sites along the region have likely leached a host of toxic compounds including metals, arsenic and other hazardous substances posing a threat to soil and water sources, including groundwater.

As part of the region’s reconstruction process, the potential short, medium and long-term environmental toxicity and damage to key ecosystems, flora and fauna as well as the contamination and impact on commercial resources, soil and water require careful assessment.

This chapter provides a general overview of the potential contamination that may have occurred as a result of the tsunami of March 2011 along the Tohoku Region in Japan. Emphasis is made in the Miyagi prefecture looking at the contamination originated from the storage and management of wooden debris and other sources as well as some of its related environmental consequences.