Rengo Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Kita-ku, Osaka; President & CEO: Kiyoshi Otsubo) and its subsidiary Nihon Matai Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Taito-ku, Tokyo, President : Masao Fujita) have recently developed a radiation shielding sheet, which reduces radiation dosage by providing a shield against radiation (patent application filed).

Following the accidental leakage of radioactive materials from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant as a result of the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, there are still areas with high radiation levels in the air and temporary storage sites and other locations with waste that includes radioactive materials from the decontamination procedures. This has given rise to the urgent issue of how to provide protection against the radiation.

Previously, hard, heavy metal sheets have been used to shield against radiation. By contrast, the recently developed radiation shielding sheet made with thermoplastic elastomers is a light weight and very flexible shielding material. It is expected to have a wide range of uses, such as to reduce radiation from entering rooms, and as covers for contaminated waste kept in temporary storage sites during decontamination.

Nihon Matai is a Rengo Group company specializing in heavy duty packaging. As a pioneer in packaging for Japanese industries, Nihon Matai provides their products for various types of heavy powder and granular materials, ranging from kraft paper bags to heavy duty polyethylene bags and Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers. In particular, the company is the leading manufacturer of Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers in Japan and the Maicon brand container bag is the leading brand in the global market.

The radiation shielding sheet was developed through collaboration between Rengo's Central Laboratory, which has expertise in radiation gained from research on applications for the high-density zeolite containing fiber, Cellgaia,^® * and Nihon Matai research laboratories, which have been developing packaging for heavy materials and various resin processing technologies over a number of years. A patent application has been filed based on repeated demonstration tests conducted in areas where there are still high levels of radiation in the air.

Going forward, urgent and continued efforts are needed to protect against radiation. To help in ensuring safety and peace of mind, Rengo has applied its technology and know-how as a “General Packaging Industry,” accumulated over many years in packaging, to make a contribution to society in the area of radiation countermeasures.