21 August 2012, the Environment Ministry of Japan has revised upward the estimated amount of radioactive waste in nine prefectures around Fukushima Daiichi.

As of now, there is 42,575 tons of waste, containing radioactive cesium levels of more than 8,000 becquerels per kilogram, in storage.  Officials originally estimated that only 50,000 tons of debris would be contaminated with that much radiation, but it’s now obvious there is much more.

A newly passed law makes the national government of Japan responsible for disposal of all nuclear waste.  Recently it was decided that four or five prefectures will be designated as permanent nuclear waste disposal sites.  However, there is great concern over the fact that Japan is crisscrossed by seismic faults.  Officials stated that any new waste site must not be built near a fault line.

Not surprisingly at least 75% of the contaminated waste is being collected in Fukushima Prefecture.