Rotterdam eases nuclear checks on containers from Japan
The port of Rotterdam has announced that there will be fewer checks on containers from Japan, with effect from June 1 after the new Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority will reduce the number of intensive checks on containers from the quake and tsunami hit nation, because fewer contaminated containers have been arriving.
From now on, the ships will no longer be checked at sea for radioactivity. During the month of June, however, the ships' containers will still be checked on a random basis as they are unloaded. The checks at the detection gates of customs and the random tests by regulators will remain unchanged, a statement said.
Until May 31 a total of 38 containers from Japan had been found with radioactive contamination. Of these containers, 12 were set apart because contamination in a number of places on them exceeded the norm. The cleaning of these containers has now begun, after which the containers will be tested once again.
If the contamination is then below the norm they will be released. One of the containers was also found to contain contaminated cargo. In consultation with the owner of the cargo it is being decided whether the cargo will be returned, stored or destroyed, said authorities.
The extra checks carried out on cargo entering the Netherlands from Japan by air have found no further contamination for a number of weeks, and so these checks are being ended with effect from June 1, the authorities added.
From now on, the ships will no longer be checked at sea for radioactivity. During the month of June, however, the ships' containers will still be checked on a random basis as they are unloaded. The checks at the detection gates of customs and the random tests by regulators will remain unchanged, a statement said.
Until May 31 a total of 38 containers from Japan had been found with radioactive contamination. Of these containers, 12 were set apart because contamination in a number of places on them exceeded the norm. The cleaning of these containers has now begun, after which the containers will be tested once again.
If the contamination is then below the norm they will be released. One of the containers was also found to contain contaminated cargo. In consultation with the owner of the cargo it is being decided whether the cargo will be returned, stored or destroyed, said authorities.
The extra checks carried out on cargo entering the Netherlands from Japan by air have found no further contamination for a number of weeks, and so these checks are being ended with effect from June 1, the authorities added.