The radiation levels have decreased to below unsafe levels on large farms near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, according to survey results from the region.
The farmland that was previously classified as contaminated and abandoned since the nuclear disaster in 1986 can be used for cultivation again, Interesting Engineering reported on June 21. This could help meet Ukraine’s increasing demand for arable land, especially during a time of conflict with Russia that has turned a significant portion of agricultural land into battlegrounds.
A researcher measuring radiation in the Chernobyl exclusion zone. (Photo: Sergey Dolzhenko).
The explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant 38 years ago marked a tragedy in human history. The toxic cloud spread across Soviet territory, exposing approximately 8.4 million people to nuclear radiation. More than 250,000 people developed cancer, and around 100,000 fatalities were reported, according to Greenpeace.
In addition to the lasting damage to humanity, the Chernobyl disaster also severely harmed the surrounding environment, devastating crops, trees, and infrastructure. Decades later, several surveys have been conducted at the plant using robots, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and various other methods to assess the levels of radiation in the area. These surveys aim to explore the impacts of radiation on the local flora and fauna and determine the residual radiation levels.
According to researcher Valery Alexandrovich Kashparov from the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, over 80% of the surveyed land around the disaster area can be repurposed for agricultural activities. Kashparov’s research team has surveyed the area for over a decade, concluding based on the radiation levels they found.
The report states that the greatest health threat following the disaster came from the iodine-131 isotope. However, this isotope has a half-life of only 8 days and has declined to very low levels in the years since. Other isotopes like cesium-137 and strontium-90, which have half-lives exceeding three decades, still persist in the area, although their concentrations have decreased by more than half. This is particularly true in regions far from the disaster site. Radiation levels remain high in the exclusion zone surrounding the nuclear reactor, which has transformed into a forest and may be designated as a nature reserve in the coming years.
Earlier in 2023, researcher Volodymr Illienko, also from the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences, conducted surveys to measure radiation levels over 2,600 hectares of land around Narodychi and Vyazivka but found no concentrations exceeding permissible limits. Nevertheless, other researchers identified high radiation levels in certain areas, although this radiation did not transfer to crops or agricultural products.
If authorities allow the restoration of cultivation, the survey results need to be confirmed through direct food testing. Ukraine has stricter regulations regarding radioactive contamination in food compared to those in the UK or the European Union. These regulations are in place to ensure that the population does not accumulate dangerous levels of radiation over time.
