Farm fields 30km away from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant are showing contamination with cesium-137, more than 2,000 times standard limits.  Cesium-137 has a half life of 30 years.

Greenpeace representatives are demanding that the Japanese government issue mandatory evacuation orders.  They say it is based on their own radiation sampling.  The Japanese government said they are monitoring the situation and will be the ones who will decide necessary actions.

Efforts to control higher radiation levels being emitted by the damaged nuclear plant, could include using treated cloth/tarps over the reactors, to try and catch particles. And, spraying the ground with a resin, to prevent the particles from entering the soil.

To add to the problem, smoke was seen coming from the Fukushima DaiNi nuclear plant (sister plant to Daiichi). TEPCo officials say it could be an electrical problem (could be?).

TEPCo officials have finally admitted that the four damaged reactors at Fukushima Daiichi are a total loss: ‘‘We have no choice but to scrap reactors 1 to 4 if we look at their conditions objectively.’’-Tsunehisa Katsumata, TEPCo Chairman.

Can you say “no brainer?” (I like the phrase “no sh*t Sherlock!”).   It took them this long to realize this?  Now we know why they haven’t started pouring concrete on them, they really thought they could save them.