Social protection of population suffered from Chornobyl catastrophe.

Some facts about statistics.

3,278,521 persons, including 340,654 liquidators and 1,300,000 children suffered from the gravest tragedy of the 20^th century.

Number of disabled people has reached 91,200. Annual expenses for one invalid whose disability was caused by Chornobyl catastrophe account for about 8,000 UAH, while same expenses for disabled of common disease are 500 to 600 UAH.

By 1 January 2000 372,178 of 397,837 Liquidator’s ICs have been reregistered.

Resettlement.

According to the Law of Ukraine “On status and social protection of population suffered from Chornobyl catastrophe” 27,649 families have been resettled from contaminated territories, 5,129 families of disabled received new houses or apartments.

Total number of evacuees since 1986 through 1990 accounts for 90,784 persons, number of resettled since 1990 to 2001 is 71,994.

State register of population suffered from the catastrophe.

State register of population suffered from the catastrophe includes 1,072,000 persons, including 217,000 persons that were added to it last year.

Medical care and recuperation of population suffered from the catastrophe.

Population suffered from the catastrophe is provided with special medical care based on Oblast, Ministry of Health and Academy of Medical Sciences data. In 1999 26, 837,2 thousand UAH were spent for these purposes.

Annually 650,000 UAH are spent for social and psychological rehabilitation of the affected population, i.e. coping with nervous and mental disorders.

In the year 2000 140,00 million UAH were spent for recuperation of the population suffered from the catastrophe. These were liquidators, disabled children, orphans, children living on contaminated territories, children with chronic diseases, etc.

Expenses for mitigation of Chornobyl catastrophe consequences.

We cannot but mention that financing the measures re mitigation Chornobyl catastrophe consequences took place under conditions of funds deficiency.

Thus, in 1996 only 53,4%, in 1997 – 44,2%, in 1998 – 57,3%, in 1999 only 29,0% of necessary funds were released.

Because of the lack of funds Ministry of Emergencies of Ukraine took a decision to finance only the priority events related to Laws of Ukraine “On legal status of the territories suffered from the catastrophe” and “On status and social protection of Chornobyl affected population”.

In 2000 social protection of Chornobyl affected population was considered to be the main priority. 1,574,2 million UAH, i.e. 86,8% of Chornobyl Foundation were spent for this purposes.

Zones of radioactive contamination

In 1991 Verhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted National Concept on residing in contaminated areas.

Territories of Ukraine were divided into zones depending on levels of radionuclide contamination:

1. Exclusion zone: the 30-km Zone around the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant;
2. Zone of obligatory resettlement: level of contamination with Cs-137 above 15 Ci/km2, with Sr-90 above 3 Ci/km2 or Pu above 0.1 Ci/km2.
3. Zone with the right for resettlement: territories contaminated with Cs-137 in the range from 5-15 Ci/km2, Sr-90 in the range from 0.15 to 3 Ci/km2 or Pu in the range from 0.01 to 0.1 Ci/km2.
4. Zone of residing with strict radiation control: territories contaminated with Cs-137 in the range from 1 to 5 Ci/km2, Sr-90 from 0.02 to 0.15 Ci/km2 or Pu from 0.005 to 0.01 Ci/km2.

Table. Areas of contamination zones.

Today about 2,3 million people live on contaminated territories.

Radiological characteristics of contaminated area.

All the years after the catastrophe contaminated areas were under strict radiological control. As a result of decontamination, level of radionuclides in the environment and foodstuff has diminished. Due to this both internal and external doses decreased 2 to 3 times.

Dose control (passport dose)

Radiological protection of population

On contaminated territories foodstuff undergoes radiological control. In accordance with the Programme “System of radiological control” 1,3 to 1,5 million meterings re Cs and Sr are delivered every year. About 1,000 labs subordinate to 7 Ministries and Departments conduct these measures.

Main Chornobyl catastrophe consequences. Radionuclides pollution.

The accident at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant that took place on 26 April 1986 in Ukraine near the borders with Russia and Belarus became one of the gravest tragedies in the history of nuclear industry. Fourth reactor was ruined. Total activity of radioactive emission was about 1,2 x 10¹⁹Bq. It included 3% of reactor fuel, 100% of inert gases and 20 to 60% of volatile nuclides.

Peculiarities of the catastrophe:

• Radioactive fallouts took place for 10 days;
• Radioactive content of the fallouts was complicated.

The greatest harm was inflicted by iodine-131, 132 and 133 and cesium – 134 and 137. Because of a short half-life decay, iodine influenced a lot immediately after the catastrophe. Half-life decay of cesiem-137 and strontium-90 account for tens of years. Thus, radiological damage of them will be felt for many years after the catastrophe. Quantitative activities of main radionuclides are as following: I-131 amounts for 1.3 – 1.8 x 10¹⁸Bq, Cs-134 – 0.05 x 10¹⁸Bq, Cs-137 – 0.09 x 10¹⁸Bq. These figures are equivalent to 50 – 60 % I-131 and 20 – 60% Cs being in an active zone of the reactor at the moment of the catastrophe.

Besides, the above isotopes fallout included reactor fuel that as a result of a nuclear fission produces more radioactive isotopes.

Contamination of environment

Radioactive clouds reached Northern hemisphere. Great amount of radionuclides remained near the site of ChNPP. About 150,000 square km of Ukraine, Russia and Belarus were contaminated.

(TO BE CONTINUED)