Okinawa Prefecture asks the committee set up to handle the pumice problem to examine whether it can be reused.
A large amount of floating pumice was seemingly released from an undersea volcanic eruption in the Ogasawara Islands. The pumice has become a major problem as it flows along the seacoasts everywhere in Okinawa Prefecture. At a Prefectural Executive Committee meeting on 15 November, the “Committee to Counter Floating Pumice (temporary name)” was set up with Governor Denny Tamaki as chief. The new committee will solidify plans to advance the management of coordinated information and progressive countermeasures in every locality. According to the Prefectural Executive Committee, the arriving flows of pumice will be gathered at multiple locations within the prefecture. The Prefectural Environmental Research Agency will test whether or not contaminated materials are present and is expected to quickly get the results. With protective measures assured, the agency will proceed to determine whether its possible to put the pumice to use. The Prefecture has set up a “Rapid Countermeasu...