A number of Japanese and South Korean steel companies that also handle scrap metal and metal materials are beginning to adopt the radiation safety standards already put in place by Japanese steelmakers in the wake of the nuclear crisis in Japan that was caused by the recent Earthquake and Tsunami.

There is currently no radiation standard for the industry, with many scrap dealers checking for criteria that could be anywhere between 0.3-0.5 microsievert/hour, according to two scrap dealers in Tokyo.

Standards may be changed further in the coming months though as metal pressworks companies figure out whether to tighten or loosen their current standards based on the quality of metals that will be produced in the upcoming months.

Scrap from the Fukushima area especially is under watch due to the obvious radiation problems caused by the nuclear plant’s failure.