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Radiation Hazard

 

Lessons learned from Chernobyl

The accident has convincingly demonstrated, that the cost of ensuring the safety of nuclear facilities is significantly lower than that of dealing with accident consequences. Large-scale man-made accidents cause great social and economic damage to countries located in their area of influence.

The Chernobyl accident has led to a part of the population developing an inadequate perception of radiation risk, which has caused psychological problems and, as a consequence, a deterioration in public health and quality of life.

The accident has demonstrated the need to establish and support a high-level national emergency response system in case of man-made accidents.

The Chernobyl accident resulted in unprecedented exposure of the Belarussian, Russian and Ukrainian population. In view of its uniqueness in terms of spatial, temporal, professional and age specific factors, as well as the combination of external and internal exposure, it has no analogy in the entire history of man-made accidents.

The lack of objective and timely information to state authorities and the population about the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant led to an inadequate response to its potential negative consequences on people’s living conditions and health, and also created the preconditions for socio-psychological stress.

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