DeconGel® Provides Radiological Decontamination Technology to Japan in Wake of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Crisis

HONOLULU, April 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- CBI Polymers LLC, the Honolulu-based innovator of DeconGel® nuclear decontaminant, will join the broad-based philanthropic effort to help with the crisis in Japan by making a donation of $250,000 in radiological decontamination products and technical services at the request of the Japanese Medical Association (JMA) for the removal of radioactive contaminants in support of public health and emergency relief efforts for the people in the Tohoku region, Japan's most severely-affected northeastern coast.

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Ten pallets of DeconGel® nuclear decontaminant, a safe, peelable hydrogel with unique capacity to bind, encapsulate, and remove radioactive surface particles, have been shipped to Japan.  In addition, a technical and senior executive team from CBI Polymers has been deployed to Japan to help train and assist the Japanese Medical Association and a host of other public health and safety agencies with the use of DeconGel® nuclear decontaminant for the containment and removal of radioactive particles.

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant suffered major damage from the March 11th earthquake and subsequent tsunami, which disabled the plant's reactor cooling systems and triggered a widespread evacuation of the area surrounding the plant.

"The deployment of DeconGel® to Japan is extremely timely and I can see multiple scenarios where it will assist in the technical solution to the current crisis and the subsequent clean up," said Admiral Thomas B. Fargo USN (Ret.), former Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command.

"Our Company is committed to environmental protection and humanitarian assistance, and because DeconGel® is a safe product that can be used to remove radioactive and chemical contaminants, it became a priority to get DeconGel® in the hands of remediation experts in Japan," said Larry Stack, President and COO of CBI Polymers.  

"We are all very concerned with the situation in Japan and there has been a broad based effort to provide assistance," stated the Honorable George R. Ariyoshi, former Governor of the State of Hawaii (1973-1986) who lauded the donation of DeconGel®. "I am extremely proud of the fact that a technology invented and developed in Hawaii will be making a difference to help our close friend and ally during her time of great need."  

CBI Polymer's donation of DeconGel® nuclear decontaminant and its team of technical experts to assist the JMA was made possible with the collaborative efforts of an international team of academic and business leaders, comprised of: Mr. Yuki N. Karakawa, an International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) Ambassador working in conjunction with Dr. Cham Dallas, renowned expert in nuclear safety and Director of the Institute for Health Management and Mass Destruction Defense at the University of Georgia, Dr. Hank Wuh, founder and CEO of Skai Ventures, the parent company of CBI Polymers, Mr. John Walsh and Ms. Shelby Scarbrough of Practical Protocol, Dr. Norihisa Takasugi, Executive Director of the JMA, Mr. Ron Marotta of NYK Logistics Inc., which provided logistics support for DeconGel® nuclear decontaminant to Japan, and British Airways who provided air transportation for the team of experts to Japan.

About DeconGel® nuclear decontaminant

DeconGel® nuclear decontaminant (www.decongel.com or www.decongel.com/jp) is a novel polymer-based decontamination technology developed by CBI Polymers for radiological, nuclear, and chemical threats  It is a safe, water soluble, peelable hydrogel with unique capacity to bind, encapsulate and remove surface radioactive and chemical contaminants.  DeconGel® nuclear decontaminant is used by U.S. Department of Energy sites for remediation of radiological, nuclear, and hazardous chemical substances. It's also useful for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) first responder units concerned with immediate clean-up after major hazardous materials (HAZMAT) incidents. In addition, DeconGel® nuclear decontaminant removes toxic elements such as lead, beryllium, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and iron oxide.

About CBI Polymers

CBI Polymers LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Skai Ventures(www.skaiventures.com), is a leader in the development of novel technologies for radiological and chemical decontamination. DeconGel® nuclear decontaminant is a leading decontamination solution utilized by the U.S. Department of Energy and has customers worldwide in various industries, ranging from nuclear power utilities, decommissioning and decontamination sites, hospital facilities and research laboratories.

For more information, please visit the English language site www.decongel.com, or www.decongel.com/jp for the Japanese language version.

SOURCE CBI Polymers LLC