chernobyl disaster

Chernobyl is located on the Chernobyl is located on the border area between border area between Ukraine andUkraine andBelarus.Belarus.

In the early morning In the early morning hours of 26 April 1986, hours of 26 April 1986, a testing error caused a testing error caused an explosion at the an explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear Chernobyl nuclear power station.power station.

Children went to Children went to school and played school and played outside. outside. Gardeners worked Gardeners worked on their plots on their plots outdoors.outdoors.

Only on the second day Only on the second day after the disaster (after after the disaster (after 36 hours) did the36 hours) did the Soviet Soviet authorities start authorities start evacuating people from evacuating people from the area around the area around Chernobyl.Chernobyl.

The explosion released The explosion released 190 tons of radioactive 190 tons of radioactive gases into the gases into the atmosphere.atmosphere.

Radioactive fallout Radioactive fallout scattered over much scattered over much of the northern of the northern hemisphere via wind hemisphere via wind and storm patterns. and storm patterns.

70% of the radioactive 70% of the radioactive material was blown into material was blown into the neighboring country the neighboring country of Belarus.of Belarus.

In all 150,000 square In all 150,000 square kilometres in Belarus, kilometres in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine Russia and Ukraine were contaminated. were contaminated.

7 million people living in 7 million people living in these areas were exposed these areas were exposed to the radiation fallout. to the radiation fallout.

Diseases caused by Diseases caused by radiation included:radiation included:- lung cancer, - lung cancer,

- leukemia, leukemia,

- cardiovascular cardiovascular disease.disease.

Areas still impacted today:-

- soil- water- air- crops and food- livestock

After the disaster, a huge After the disaster, a huge cement box cement box (sarcophagus) was (sarcophagus) was hastily built around the hastily built around the radioactive material.radioactive material.

97% of the radioactive materials

from the Chernobyl plant still

remains inside this sarcophagus.

It is hoped to safely It is hoped to safely contain the nuclear contain the nuclear material for the next material for the next 100 years.100 years.

Today 5.5 million people Today 5.5 million people still live in contaminated still live in contaminated areas. areas.

It is carried out by Phytotech, a phytoremediation company in Monmouth Junction.

Rafts with sunflowers growing on them float on a small pond at the Chernobyl nuclear accident site in the Ukraine.

This sunflower project is one of many international efforts at phytoremediation