· 7-
The Chernobyl accident undoubtedly had a strong impact on public
opinion in many countries.
It was the first reactor accident in which
people were killed by radiation. Thirty-one of the operating and fire
fighting staff died. More than 200 were hospitalized.
More than 100 000
of the people living within a 30 km radius from the plant had to be
evacuated. In the accident, the explosions immediately laid the burning
core open to the atmosphere and a significant part of the radioactivity an altijude was immediately transported to a height of some 1000 meters. It was in
this respect the worst possible accident which can be imagined. The
winds spread the activity first towards Scandinavia, then over most of
central and south-eastern Europe. The fall-out had a significant
psychological impact, in part certainly through the very large
differences in the reactions of authorities in different countries. We
know now that the health consequences are and will remain insignificant
outside the Soviet Union.
To the public in many industrialized and in some developing
countries, nuclear power is controversial. Some politicians, and some
opposition parties have taken anti-nuclear stands, sometimes even
demanding closing down operating nuclear power plants.
——
-
After Chernobyl, the governments of a few countries which have no
nuclear power plants Austria, Denmark and Ireland seem opposed to
nuclear power generally. In other countries, like Finland, the
Netherlands, Switzerland and Yugoslavia, orders for new plants have been
deferred. In Italy, a referendum has been scheduled for this autumn. In
Sweden, a decision to phase out nuclear power by 2010 was taken after the
Three Mile Island accident, but there is now discussion about phasing out
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.