Under Cover: One island’s accidental discovery helps another island’s accident recovery

Japan’s nuclear decontamination effort aided by blue gel

June 14, 2011

A serendipitous event—a happy accident—has become a hero in the efforts to help Japan recover from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant crisis stemming from meltdowns at three reactors in the wake of an earthquake and tsunami on March 11.

A serendipitous event—a happy accident—has become a hero in the efforts to help Japan recover from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant crisis stemming from meltdowns at three reactors in the wake of an earthquake and tsunami on March 11.

Honolulu-based CBI Polymers LLC, manufacturer of DeconGel® nuclear decontaminant, has joined the broad-based philanthropic effort to help with the crisis in Japan by making a donation of $250,000 worth of its radiological decontamination products and technical services at the request of the Japanese Medical Association (JMA).

DeconGel's chemical and radioactive decontamination capabilities were discovered by accident five years ago when lab researchers spilled an earlier version of the product from the lab table onto the floor during testing. When they peeled it off the next morning, the floor was completely clean and devoid of particles.

After several more years of research and development, CBI Polymers transformed that initial gel into DeconGel. The product, applied in liquid form, coagulates and dries into a peelable hydrogel with unique capacity to bind, encapsulate, and remove radioactive surface particles, the company claims.

The company has shipped 10 pallets of the gel to the Tohoku region, Japan's most severely affected northeastern coast. In addition, it has deployed a team to help train and assist the JMA and other public health and safety agencies with the use of the gel.

"Our company is committed to environmental protection and humanitarian assistance," said Larry Stack, president and COO of CBI Polymers. CBI Polymers LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Skai Ventures.

CBI Polymers, Skai Ventures, 1946 Young St., Ste. 288, Honolulu, HI 96826, 808-949-2208, www.decongel.com