Nuclear Disaster in Chernobyl, Ukraine CRCT Coach Pages

Georgia Performance Standard SS6G9: The student will discuss environmental issues in Europe. A. Explain the major concerns in Europeans regarding the issues such as acid rain in Germany, the air pollution in the UK, and the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl, Ukraine.

Chernobyl, Ukraine

Nuclear Disaster In 1986, Ukraine was a country famous for its fertile plains and agriculture. That same year, the nuclear power plant experienced a disaster. One of the nuclear reactors at the Chernobyl plant exploded.

The Disaster Continues 1. One-tenth of the Ukraine’s 233,090 square miles and approximately one million people were exposed to unsafe levels of radiation. 2. Drinking water was unsafe for months. 3. Many animals died or suffered thyroid damage. 4. Nearby pine forests turned brown and died.

Chernobyl, Ukraine is Abandoned! A thirty-mile area around the power station was abandoned by humans and became known as the “Exclusion Zone.” The faculty reactor was quickly buried in concrete, but this structure requires major work and the radioactive material is still not safe.

Impact on Europe Radioactive material entered the air, following on northern Europe and Scandinavia. Fish in rivers of the Ukraine and neighboring countries were not safe to eat for years.

Human Impact Twenty-eight emergency workers died from acute radiation syndrome Doctors have noticed an increase in cases of cancer in people living in contaminated areas.

Because of Chernobyl The Ukrainian government decided to become a nuclear-free country. However, due to a lack of power plants in the country and disagreements with Russia over how to get ride of nuclear waste, the three other reactors at Chernobyl continued to operate. The last reactor was shut down in 2000.

Nuclear Power Plants in the 1980s Nuclear power plants were producing cheaper energy without filling the air with pollution and without using up the Earth’s supply of fossil fuels. After Chernobyl, concerns about nuclear safety spread around the world. Could this happen again?

What caused the nuclear disaster? The Chernobyl accident in 1986 was the result of a flawed reactor design that was operated with inadequately trained personnel. The resulting steam explosion and fires released at least 5% of the radioactive reactor core into the atmosphere and downwind. Two Chernobyl plant workers died on the night of the accident, and a further 28 people died within a few weeks as a result of acute radiation poisoning.

Nuclear Power in Chernobyl 1. The reactors were not house in the same type of buildings required in other countries. The Chernobyl reactor was built for weapons material production, not for generating electricity.

The Debate Continues!  Is the cost savings of nuclear-generated electricity worth the risk of human life?  How should nuclear waste be disposed of safely?  How should it be regulated?  Which is the bigger risk to the environment, nuclear energy or fossil fuel?

Questions:

Online Resources meltdowns-and-why-japan-is-not-chernobyl/ meltdowns-and-why-japan-is-not-chernobyl/ sustainabilityhttp://timeforchange.org/pros-and-cons-of-nuclear-power-and- sustainability