Hello everyone! I am back this week with another environmental civic issues blog post. Last week, I talked about oil spills, particularly the BP oil spill at Deepwater Horizon. Many people died and countless barrels of oil were spilled into the ocean, polluting the environment and losing energy for the world. This week, I will discuss the civic environmental issue of radiation.

Radiation is defined by the emission of energy through a certain type of medium. It can be released in some of the following ways: gamma rays, microwaves, beta radiation, acoustic radiation, and gravitational radiation. Radiation damages various cells in the human body and high levels may kill people exposed to it. If someone is exposed to high levels of radiation, of 500 -1,200 rem, death will ensue in a few days. If someone is exposed to higher levels of radiation of 10,000+ rem, death will ensue within just a few hours. Not only can humans be exposed and harmed from radiation but the environment can as well.

How is something or someone exposed to radiation? People can possess various levels of radiation in the following ways: x-rays, CT scans, nuclear energy such as bombs or nuclear reactors, malfunctions in plutonium-processing, neuron counter exposure, radium penetration into the bones, nuclear reactor malfunctions or leaks, and nuclear ballistic missiles. All of these forms of radiation, when someone or something is exposed to it, can have detrimental effects on those exposed.

 

Here are some of the most detrimental radiation disasters in Earth’s history and some of the effects on the humans and the environment:

1. Chernobyl disaster in the USSR. From April 25^th-26^th, 1986, safety systems were turned off on purpose and water turning into steam created a steam explosion and a graphite fire. Fission products shot into the atmosphere and radioactive products fell onto the USSR and Europe. 134 possessed radiation symptoms and were forced to go to the hospital and 28 people died. 14 more cancer deaths ensued in the next 10 years. The reactor is now enclosed in a concrete enclosure to limit the amount of radiation that escapes into the environment. A lot of radioactive waste was produced and lava-like fuel-containing materials were produced that harmed wildlife and plants throughout the area. In addition, the area was and still is uninhabitable to humans (20,000 years until it will be safe for humans to live there again). Lastly, radioactive materials can cause vast forest fires if lit on fire. In a prior blog, I discussed how forest fires greatly limit the amount of biodiversity in the environment and add a lot of pollution to the atmosphere.

   

2. Atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki: On August 6^th, 1945 during World War II, President Harry Truman ordered the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima, Japan. This event killed 70,000-80,000 people living in Hiroshima, including another 70,000 injured and 69% of the buildings being destroyed and a lot of radiation being released into the atmosphere. Many of the wildlife, including plants and animals in Hiroshima were destroyed immediately and radioactive dust fell from the sky onto the city and surrounding areas. A lot of the food in the forests were contaminated such as berries and other plants and genetic mutations and diseases ensued from the bombing. A similar event occurred three days after the first bombing on August 9^th, 1945 in Nagasaki, Japan. After the Japanese refused to surrender in World War II, the U.S. dropped another atomic bomb. The bomb, nicknamed “fat man” possessed 11 pounds of plutonium. 35,000-40,000 people were killed and at least 60,000 people were injured in this bombing. Nuclear weapons in the short-term, when released, can cause debris pollution, which can kill many, hair-loss for people, mouth bleeding, internal bleeding, and other tissue damage. Nuclear weapons in the long-term, when released such as in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, can cause vast climate change and contribute to global warming. In addition, food production was inhibited which could force many to face starvation.

   

3. Mayak Production Association Nuclear Waste Disaster (Kyshtym Disaster): in 1957, in the Soviet Union, one of the storage tanks exploded, which resulted in the release of 50-100 tons of radioactive waste into the environment. 290 square miles of land were contaminated and many humans, plants, animals, and other areas in the USSR were killed mainly due to radiation poisoning. The accident was kept secret for 30 years and is the third largest nuclear reactor disaster in history (this is the reason why you have probably never heard of the disaster). Although it is still active today, Russia has kept it secret about the exact effects of the disaster on the environment and its people. Although, it is estimated that disease has ensued and about 200 people have died from it. In addition, the environment is polluted with even more radiation. In 2017, it was released that there were abnormally high levels of radiation there. The facility dumps into the Techa River, which leads to the death of fish and other wildlife that live there and the pollution of drinking water for humans and animals alike.

Clearly, there are detrimental effects of radiation of humans and the environment. The main way that one can stop radiation is by better monitoring the nuclear power plants. In addition, humans can attempt to be peaceful for once and stop dropping and testing nuclear weapons.