What is Chernobyl like today after the disaster?

Question

and how is the environment around it affected?

Answer 1

Chernobyl - is still a disaster. it is a highly radioactive area that hasen't reach its half-life yet. even today scientists can only go there 2 weeks per year to study it because the radiation is so strong. they are flown there by hellocopter and in lead clothing to help protect against radiation. after 2 weeks they are hoisted again out of Chernobyl.

this is what I learned in X-ray school
I also did further research and heres what I also have to share with you.

The accident destroyed the Chernobyl-4 reactor and killed 30 people, including 28 from radiation exposure. A further 209 on site and involved with the clean-up were treated for acute radiation poisoning and among these, 134 cases were confirmed (all of whom apparently recovered). Nevertheless 19 of these subsequently died from effects attributable to the accident. Nobody off-site suffered from acute radiation effects. However, large areas of Belarus, Ukraine, Russia and beyond were contaminated in varying degrees.

The Chernobyl disaster was a unique event and the only accident in the history of commercial nuclear power where radiation-related fatalities occurred.* However, its relevance to the rest of the nuclear industry outside the then Eastern Bloc is minimal.
The accident destroyed the Chernobyl-4 reactor and killed 30 people, including 28 from radiation exposure. A further 209 on site and involved with the clean-up were treated for acute radiation poisoning and among these, 134 cases were confirmed (all of whom apparently recovered). Nevertheless 19 of these subsequently died from effects attributable to the accident. Nobody off-site suffered from acute radiation effects. However, large areas of Belarus, Ukraine, Russia and beyond were contaminated in varying degrees.

The Chernobyl disaster was a unique event and the only accident in the history of commercial nuclear power where radiation-related fatalities occurred.* However, its relevance to the rest of the nuclear industry outside the then Eastern Bloc is minimal.

The accident

On 25 April, prior to a routine shut-down, the reactor crew at Chernobyl-4 began preparing for a test to determine how long turbines would spin and supply power following a loss of main electrical power supply. Similar tests had already been carried out at Chernobyl and other plants, despite the fact that these reactors were known to be very unstable at low power settings.

A series of operator actions, including the disabling of automatic shutdown mechanisms, preceded the attempted test early on 26 April. As flow of coolant water diminished, power output increased. When the operator moved to shut down the reactor from its unstable condition arising from previous errors, a peculiarity of the design caused a dramatic power surge.

The fuel elements ruptured and the resultant explosive force of steam lifted off the cover plate of the reactor, releasing fission products to the atmosphere. A second explosion threw out fragments of burning fuel and graphite from the core and allowed air to rush in, causing the graphite moderator to burst into flames.

There is some dispute among experts about the character of this second explosion. The graphite burned for nine days, causing the main release of radioactivity into the environment. A total of about 14 EBq (1018 Bq) of radioactivity was released, half of it being biologically-inert noble gases. See also appended sequence of events.

Some 5000 tonnes of boron, dolomite, sand, clay and lead were dropped on to the burning core by helicopter in an effort to extinguish the blaze and limit the release of radioactive particles.

Answer 2

What Is Chernobyl Like Today

Answer 3

The accident had a disastrous impact on life, health and the environment in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia and prompted fear and concerns in other nations of the world about the effects of radiation," said IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei looking back at 1986.

Fifteen years later, exhaustive studies by the IAEA and others provide a solid understanding of the causes and consequences of the accident, which stemmed from design deficiencies in the reactor compounded by violation of operating procedures. These deficiencies and the clear lack of a "safety culture" led to speedy international adoption of Early Notification and Assistance Conventions as well as the later establishment of the landmark Convention on Nuclear Safety.

Lessons learned from the accident were also a significant driving force behind a decade of IAEA assistance to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Much of this work focused on identifying the weaknesses in and improving the design safety of VVER and RBMK reactors.

Hundreds of international initiatives are easing the effects on the environment and health in the affected regions. In one example, the Agency is working with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on the "Prussian Blue Project" aimed at reducing caesium contamination in milk and meat.

The Agency is also providing assistance in treating thyroid cancer. According to the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) in its 2000 Report to the UN General Assembly, the number of cases has risen to about 1800 and further cases can be expected for years to come. Significantly, UNSCEAR has, however, found no scientific evidence of increases to date in the incidence of any other health effects that could be related to radiation exposure.

Nevertheless, the socio-economic impacts remain serious. Farming communities in Belarus and Ukraine suffered heavily from radioactive contamination as a result of the Chernobyl accident. The IAEA, together with the FAO, is therefore helping to restore agricultural land by producing the rapeseed plant on 50,000 hectares of contaminated land in Belarus. The seed takes up and stores radionuclides from the soil in its stalks and seed coat, but not in the seed. This seed can then be used for economically viable products such as biolubricants, cooking oils or high protein cattle feed.

One of the most difficult legacies of Chernobyl are the psychological effects in the population related to lack of information immediately after the accident, the stress and trauma of relocation, the breaking of social ties and the fear of radiation. Resulting economic hardship is also a major factor for distress, and the recent closure of the Chernobyl plant which provided many hundreds of jobs is a further strain. International assistance will be needed in these areas for years to come.

"Chernobyl was a tragic but important turning point for the IAEA," said Mr. ElBaradei. "It prompted us to focus unprecedented energies and resources to help the affected people and ensure that such a serious accident would never happen again."

Answer 4

I read a newspaper article about it recently. Wild animals, birds, insects have returned to the area around it. But the death rate is higher and breeding success is lower because they are still being exposed to radiation in the ground.

Answer 5

Hi! chernobyl is bursting with wild animals check out this documentary check out this documentry and see for yoursekf http://youtu.be/hJrqInOi1lw hope you enjoy