Answer to Question #1359 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

Q

What, if anything, can the public do in order to protect from a radiation leak like Chernobyl, but in the United States?

A

The nature of accidents is that they are generally something that we don't want to happen, that we try to prevent, but which happens anyway. This was the case with the Chernobyl accident in 1986, and the results were catastrophic.

In 1996 the Nuclear Energy Agency wrote a report summarising the status of what we knew ten years after the accident, focusing on health and environmental consequences, and this is available on our Web site under free publications for download. We will be publishing an update of this report, 15 years after Chernobyl, in the near future.

However, what can the public in the United States do to protect itself against a possible nuclear accident? I would suggest a few things. First, take a little time to learn a bit about the health risks that result from being exposed to radiation. These risks are what many scientists would call small, or even very small, but they are YOUR risks, and you should judge yourself how you feel about them (for example, some people accept the risk of living in a polluted city environment, while others feel that this is an unacceptable risk). What counts is your view. A good site to explore would be the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) in the United Kingdom. Look under "Information on Radiation and FAQs." Then, having an idea of what your risks might be, find out if you live in the vicinity of a nuclear power plant. By "in the vicinity," I would say within 100 miles. The reason I say this is that even the most incredible accidents at nuclear power plants in most countries other than the former Soviet Union (for example, the United States) would NOT result in a Chernobyl-style catastrophe.

Nuclear power plants everywhere but the former Soviet Union use large, reinforced concrete containment buildings to keep any radioactive material that might be released in an accident INSIDE and controlled. So the idea of a huge fire and one third of the reactor fuel being shot high into the atmosphere by extremely high temperatures is not physically possible in United States reactors. Thus, at distances over about 50 miles from a nuclear power plant, after a major accident you might be able to measure radioactivity in the environment, but this would not provoke the emergency response organization in the state where you live to order evacuation or any other protective measures.

So, if you take a look at the risks, and then see whether you yourself are at risk, and get an idea of what has happened in the past, I hope that you will have a better idea of what could happen in a nuclear accident and what you as a member of the public can do to protect yourself. For me, information is the best protection. If you have any further questions contact the Health Physics Society Web Site Editor and she can put you in touch with me.

Edward N. Lazo, PhD, CHP, PE
Nuclear Energy Agency
Paris, France