West Coast braces for tsunami debris arrival

West Coast braces for tsunami debris arrival

By BECKY BOHRER and AUDREY McAVOY
Associated Press

Published: June 9th, 2012 11:32 AM
Last Modified: June 9th, 2012 11:32 AM

www.adn.com...

Chris Pallister / AP Photo

JUNEAU -- More than a year after a tsunami devastated Japan, killing thousands of people and washing millions of tons of debris into the Pacific Ocean, the U.S. government and West Coast states don't have a cohesive plan for cleaning up the rubble that floats to American shores.

The Japanese government estimates that 1.5 million tons of debris is floating in the ocean from the catastrophe. Some experts in the United States think the bulk of that trash will never reach shore, while others fear a massive, slowly-unfolding environmental disaster.

One astonishing example of how the unexpected can suddenly appear occurred Wednesday in Oregon when a concrete and metal dock that measured 66 feet long, seven feet tall and 19 feet wide, washed ashore a mile north of Newport. A Japanese consulate official in Portland confirmed that the dock came from the northern Japanese city of Misawa, cut loose in the tsunami of March 11, 2011.

I was wondering if/when this was going to happen. Apparently small things have already begun washing up on the west coast of the United States not to mention the dock. Is any of this irradiated? is there more to be concerned with than simply cleaning up the trash?

The time to decide who is going to be responsible for clean up, be it State or Gov. in my opinion is come and gone but here they are bickering about it. Its Summer time and there are people all along the coast vacationing on the beach. Are they at risk? Did the Government/States know it was coming and have done nothing in the fear of loosing their Summer vacationers MONEY? This situation just keeps getting worse.

An other article on the situation... 5 major pieces of tsunami debris found so far

By MARK THIESSEN
Associated Press

Published: June 9th, 2012 10:01 PM
Last Modified: June 9th, 2012 10:02 PM

www.adn.com...

reply to post by Agarta


I don't understand why a lot of people are worried about this debris being radiated.I'm sure there is toxic effects on the environment and a big eyesore for coastal shores but remember,there was no melt down til after the fact that all this debris was long gone.But yeah,what a mess that will take years to clean up...lots of recyclables I suppose

reply to post by SarnholeOntarable


Sorry had a terminal mental vapor lock there for a second I guess. You are right it probably wouldn't be irradiated, thank you for pointing that out. You are also correct in the health hazards of chemicals and general debris as wells as safety hazards with sharp object not seen floating in the water. The eyesore is a sad remembrance.

I am bummed out about it. I live on the coast NW Washington.
Hell, A Harley Davidson washed up on shore a little ways north of me in BC.
The Japanese dude who lost it in the Tsunami tracked it down and wants it back now lol.

www.dailymail.co.uk...

reply to post by llmacgregor


How does this not simply sink... I can understand the pier washing up on the coast, it's made to be in water. But a harley? I can't see how it just does not sink and then become part of the ocean floor.

crazy... good luck to the guy wanting to have it back, there's a little bit of work to be done on it now, by the looks!

reply to post by llmacgregor

The second article I posted said there was a Harley that was in a white container that washed up in April. I don't see a white container is this Harley number 2?

When the West Coast "braces", does it lean back against the Continental Divide?