Radiation Health Physicist Lynn Ablin and Wash. Gov. Chris Gregoire check a piece of marine debris.
credit:
Tom Banse
Lynn Albin with Washington's Dept. of Health tests a piece of foam insulation of unknown origin for radiation.
credit:
Tom Banse
People of all ages examined the dock that washed ashore on Oregon's Agate Beach from the Japanese tsunami.
credit:
Bonnie Stewart
Thousands of people have come to Agate Beach, Oregon, to inspect the Japanese dock that washed ashore after the tsunami.
credit:
Bonnie Stewart
Children visiting the Tsunami dock on Agate Beach gravitated to the pools of water around the dock.
credit:
Bonnie Stewart
Families gathered to view the dock washed ashore on Oregon's coast by the Japanese tsunami.
credit:
Bonnie Stewart
The Japanese dock that washed ashore on Oregon's Agate Beach has drawn large crowds of onlookers.
credit:
Bonnie Stewart
Long after the fog rolled in, sightseers lingered around the dock that washed ashore on Oregon's Agate Beach following the Japanese tsunami.
credit:
Bonnie Stewart
OCEAN SHORES, Wash. - Oregon State Parks managers have two new Geiger counters to scan possible tsunami debris that floats in from Japan. On the Washington coast, state health department scientists are now regularly checking marine debris and fish for possible radiation from last year’s Japanese nuclear meltdown.
The testing is mostly just to reassure the public, not out of grave concern that radiation will get here.
Beachcomber Bev Hughes noticed the state Department of Health scientist working the high tide line with a Geiger counter. Hughes walked over with a shopping bag full of trash she collected on her morning walk, mostly plastic drink bottles.
Many of the bottles have Japanese labels or markings.
“I don’t want to be messing with stuff that could be radioactive,” Hughes says.
Radiation health physicist Lynn Albin scans the collection.
“Is it picking up anything?” Hughes asks.
Albin responds, “Nothing.”
In fact, Albin says all checks have come back negative since surveillance of potential tsunami debris started in April.
Washington’s Secretary of Health says spot checks of litter picked up during beach clean ups and of returning salmon and steelhead will continue. The purpose is to reassure the public that seafood and the beaches are safe.
Significant sightings of marine debris can be reported to NOAA via email at DisasterDebris@noaa.gov
(This was first reported for the Northwest News Network.)
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