Twenty six years ago this month Chernobyl, Ukraine experienced the world’s most devastating nuclear accident to date. Hundreds of thousands were displaced from their communities, thousands experienced acute effects of immediate radiation exposure, and thousands more are waiting for delayed side effects to kick in. To be sure the horrors of that day have been recorded in countless studies, papers, and reports but for those of us who were too young (or perhaps not even born yet) to properly take in and process the events surrounding the accident, a recap may be helpful.
The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) reports that the accident occurred when the reactor was being shut down for routine maintenance. When the operators switched off an important control system they essentially allowed an already structurally flawed reactor to reach unstable low-power conditions. When the plant experienced an unexpected power surge, a steam explosion ensued, causing the reactor vessel to rupture and allow damaging fuel-steam interactions. A 10 day fire resulted during which massive quantities of radioactive materials were released.
Immediately over 100,000 people in close proximity to the plant were evacuated. In the following months and years more than 200,000 residents of surrounding areas in Belarus, the Russian Federation, and Ukraine were evacuated.
Within the first four months after the accident about 30 workers died from severe effects of radiation exposure. The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) maintains that around 600,000 responders were involved in the initial cleanup and continue to be monitored for delayed health effects.
Of those exposed to radiation, the most significant health threat has been increased incidence of thyroid cancer, especially among children and adolescents who drank milk contaminated with radioactive iodine. The NCR reports that to date about 4,000 cases of thyroid cancer have been found in these children. The UNSCEAR found another 2,000 to be affected in Belarus and the Russian Federation. Both studies agree that apart from thyroid cancer, no other increase in cancer rates can be attributed to the Chernobyl accident. Astonishingly, the NCR asserts that “fortunately, no evidence of any effect on the number of adverse pregnancy outcomes, delivery complications, stillbirths or overall health children has been observed among the families living in the most contaminated areas.”
Both the NCR and the UNSCEAR assure that radiation-related casualties are and will continue to be much lower than originally surmised.
Scientists promise that because our nuclear reactors have different plant designs, different control systems, and “robust containment structures,” we in the United States should’t be concerned about falling victim to our own Chernobyl event. Still, without vigilance even the most comprehensive safety protocol could show cracks.
So what’s the point of re-hashing a nightmare that will never affect us? A reminder never hurt anyone.
Photos: https://www.google.com/search?q=chernobyl+kids&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=3857T7SBIcmL2AXy1L3PDA&biw=1252&bih=566&sei=6M57T5ygOojL2QXH1bHiDA#um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US%3Aofficial&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=chernobyl+birth+defects&oq=chernobyl+birth+defects&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_l=img.3...0l0l2l129718l0l0l0l0l0l0l0l0ll0l0.frgbld.&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=a6a1ce394f096f20&biw=1252&bih=566
Credits:
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/chernobyl-bg.html
http://www.unscear.org/unscear/en/chernobyl.html
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