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Thursday, March 24, 2011

Japan : Tokyo to provide bottled water for infants

Via NHK News :

" The Tokyo Metropolitan government says it will distribute mineral water to families with infants following reports that radioactive material above permissible levels for babies has been detected at one of its purification plants.The Metropolitan Waterworks Bureau announced on Wednesday that 210 becquerels of radioactive iodine-131 were detected on Tuesday in one liter of water at a purification plant in northern Tokyo.

The amount is safe for adults but double the 100-becquerel limit set for infants.The Metropolitan government is calling on residents in Tokyo's 23 wards and 5 adjacent cities to refrain from giving tap water to infants aged less than 12 months.Authorities are also urging firms and facilities, including child daycare centers in these areas, not to use tap water when preparing drinks or baby food for infants.

The water bureau announced late on Wednesday that many consumers have rushed to buy bottled water at stores in these areas, making it difficult for people to secure safe water.It said it will ask local municipalities to distribute three 550-milliliter bottles of mineral water for each of the 80,000 infants in these areas on Thursday.The Metropolitan government plans to provide more water to these families in the future, and is calling on mineral water bottlers to increase production."

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