The Environment Ministry estimates there are 25 million tons of debris scattered among the three devastated prefectures in Tohoku. Considering the difficulties involved such as lack of space, asbestos

Well, I think we all know what will happened to most of it. It will be piled up on the beaches and burned leaving a plume of smoke that can be sen from space. As is the norm on all beaches in Japan.

I know there are volunteers out there trying to help clean it away from roads and businesses, but I wonder where they are going to take it in the end. Maybe it can be mixed to cement and used to build a 20m tsunami wall along the coast.

Or just dump it over all 54 nuclear power plants.

Does anyone remember what they did with all the rubble from the Kobe quake in 1995?

Government work program. Send all the unemployed up there to sort the stuff.

Just burn it all, sorting it will take too much time. Sure the environment will suffer a bit but considering that loads of other countries never even sort the trash, it won't be a big problem.

This is going to be a very long and complicated process. The Environmental Ministry hopefully is the lead agency to work with local government officials on creating customised plans of action and milestones. Also perhaps designating certain zones to move the debris to may help. From these locations disposal with the least impact to the environment should be done. Once all the debris is cleared environmental remediation should be done to help the environment heal itself. Also I would suggest having a website with updates for the public see. This website would also be useful to get public feedback. The Japanese are resilient and dedicated people. I wish them the best of luck. Gambatte kudasai!

Seems like all the material for another god-awful man-made island are there for the burying...

I agree with Foxie, and think that StradV's suggestion is a recipe for this going on forever [government by committee]

Burn everything which can be burnt , bury the rest or use them as shelter for sea creatures.Then start from scratch ,nice and clean.

put them in one huge pile , pour cement over it and make the world's largest pyramid as a memorial.

I was watching a tv program the other day, and one Japanese engineer has come up with a great idea, he is burning all the old wood etc..to make ELECTRICITY, yup! Now in Tohoku they have all of this junk, but let it not be put to waste, BURN it to give you electricity and TEAR DOWN the Dai Ichin Fukushima nuclear power plant!

there will be areas where the rubble can be used for land reclamation throughout japan and possibly nearby country's.some of the timber can used by artists. as in 9/11 some debris can be sent to countries who sent rescue teams to japan, such as new zealand. we can build a series of monuments throughout new zealand. i am sure other countries will do the same. a token gesture, yes. but a gesture based on sincerity.

zenji

Sorry man but Jpn needs to STOP stupid reclamation projects, they destroy the environment & havent you seen what happened in places like Sawara or Urayasu???

Folks the amount is collosal in scale, the only thing that makes sense initially is burn as much as possible, moving it as little as possible.

Remove what clearly shudnt be burnt, recycle only if it presents health concerns or makes somewhat economic sense or minimizes costs.

Maybe some refuse can be dumped off the coast to make artificial reefs.

This is a hellish task & costs out of this world, but Japan just doesnt have the means to sort this out(literally) like one does their household trash.

Its going to be messy, dirty, dangerous & take a long long time & it will negatively affect the land, air & oceans, how cud it not!

some material such as metal objects can be recycled. Just wash them in the sea to remove the small radio active elements still stuck on them and recycle to make other car and building materials. this will help at this time especially when the funds are low and the economic situation blick!

wood can also be used as fuel, biogas, building materials, etc. BRIEFLY, U NEED RECYCLING AND SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE EXPERTS to advise on how to effectively and maximally use this waste without destroying the environment. This waste can easily be turned into an opportunity for Japan to show how even in crisis, you consider environment as key to your decisions...even after the nuclear disaster!!!!! i hope i am understood

some material such as metal objects can be recycled. Just wash them in the sea to remove the small radio active elements still stuck on them and recycle to make other car and building materials. this will help at this time especially when the funds are low and the economic situation blick!

Do you have any idea of the costs involved?? Your plan wud quickly produce the worlds most expensive steel/metals. One of the problems in Japan is value for $$$ is so low most of the time, the costs to do what your saying wud be WAY more expensive then just buying new materials. This is one of the reasons why this task will be so difficult. There WONT be many opportunities in any of this but there will be many many HIGH costs

If it is going to be a government project, it will be another disaster. If it is left to private salvage, then it can be profitable. There are huge chipping machines used in the American forest that can handle the wood and there are already metal chippers in Japan. If Japanese companies don't want to do the salvage, NK definitely could use the the metal. Such a project could also improve relations. Start at the edge with the first piece of debris and move forward. The deceased need to be found and given a proper ceremony.

It is going to be very labour intensive. That is why I say government employment project. Send all the able-bodied unemployment recipients up there to sort the stuff by hand. Systematically, moving in from the edges.

Ship the lot to North Korea ,