Japan nuke plant unsalvageable, will bury reactors like Chernobyl

TOKYO — Some of the world’s largest cement pumps were en route to Japan’s stricken nuclear plant on Thursday, initially to help douse areas with water but eventually for cement work — including the possibility of entombing the site as was done in Chernobyl.

Same company that helped seal in Chernobyl is sending equipment

Operated via remote control, one of the truck-mounted pumps was already at the Fukushima Dai-ichi site and being used to spray water. Four more will be flown in from Germany and the United States, according to the German-manufacturer Putzmeister.

The biggest of the five has an arm that extends well over 200 feet. ”Initially, they will probably pump water,” Putzmeister stated. “Later they will be used for any necessary concreting work.”

A construction company in Augusta, Ga., was among those redirecting the pumps to Japan. Its owner said he believes building a concrete sarcophagus will follow.

“Our understanding is they are preparing to go to next phase and it will require a lot of concrete,” Jerry Ashmore told the Augusta Chronicle. He did not expect the pump to return. “It will be too hot to come back,” Ashmore said.”

The government said damage is expected to cost $310 billion, making it the most costly natural disaster on record.

Putzmeister concrete pumps were among those used to seal in the Chernobyl reactor after it exploded in Ukraine in 1986, and sightings of the first truck at the Dai-ichi complex last week led to media speculation that Japan was planning to do the same in Fukushima.” source – MSNBC