The chernobyl disaster

chernobyl

20 years ago. I was only thirteen and I recall this.
The older I get the more of an attrosity it seems.
Some things I have read.
-There was NO public or community announcement of this accident for three days.
-The firemen who attempted to put out the blaze lived for an average of three to four days.
-The workers to clean up the debris were given led vests when in reality the threat was coming from underneath them, Not giving them adequate or even close to adequate protection.
They worked on the roof. They had four minutes to get a wheel barrow loaded and get the hell of off the roof in order to get their pay and medal...then die three weeks or so later.
-Some of the people who were buried were too bloated from radiation to be suited in a casket.
Later to be exhumed and taken to another burial site because they were too radio active.

The concrete shelter is now in shambles. An estimated one billion dollar structure is to be built to cover the existing one. Built away from the fall out area and then taken over the course of a week, maybe more to the main accident area.
The project I believe is to take until 2009. Sadly enough they admit this will only be a temporary fix. Maybe buying them 100 years at best.
This is all I remember from memory.
* I live less than 35 miles from two nuclear reactors. The Perry Nuclear plants.
I do live a little southeast of the reactors. Most often the fall out follows general weather patterns going west to North west.
In PA. the Three mile Island also had reactors overheat and have been since shut down.
The recent Davis Bessie plant also close to me, in Sandusky, had corrosion of the reactor lid that was VERY close to breaching the seal.

The safety of nuclear power is questionable.
I can actually go to community to receive tablets in order to take so your thyroid gland so it does not absorb radiation.
My family friend, a bus driver was asked to be a volunteer to transport people out of the fall out area.
I guess reading about this Russia disaster has made me realize the concerns over the close to home threats when this entire time I have focused my attention abroad to rogue nations reaching nuclear capabilities..

You must have heard the same NPR story on it that I did during my evening commute last week.

It was truly a bad catastrophy and was bound to happen sooner or later. If I was you, I wouldn't worry a whole lot about living near an American nuke plant. There are a number of significant differences between them and the on at Chernobyl.

Here are a few facts about the chernobyl plant:
1) It was moderated using graphite, which in itself is very flamable.
2) Graphite is carbon. Cabon can form a compound with just about anything
3) It had NO containment dome. The reactor was just sitting out there in the open.

Now, modern Nukes:
1) Containment dome
2) Water moderated
3) Newer ones bring pipes and fuel rods into the reactor at the top. (Fewer leaks).
4) Upon failure, quenching rods are pretty much forced into the reactor to shut it down
5) They don't catch fire, they just melt.

The newer reactors are so safe that in the event of a complete cooling failure, all you would need to do is add water every 24-48 hours to keep it from melting down. Even if it did melt, all would still be contained within the containment dome.

I was seriously ticked off when they cancelled a nuke plant near my home here in TN. We have GOT to get away from fossil fuels.

Quote:

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Originally posted by Seeker
You must have heard the same NPR story on it that I did during my evening commute last week.

It was truly a bad catastrophy and was bound to happen sooner or later. *If I was you, I wouldn't worry a whole lot about living near an American nuke plant. *There are a number of significant differences between them and the on at Chernobyl.

Here are a few facts about the chernobyl plant:
1) It was moderated using graphite, which in itself is very flamable.
2) Graphite is carbon. *Cabon can form a compound with just about anything
3) It had NO containment dome. *The reactor was just sitting out there in the open.

Now, modern Nukes:
1) Containment dome
2) Water moderated
3) Newer ones bring pipes and fuel rods into the reactor at the top. (Fewer leaks).
4) Upon failure, quenching rods are pretty much forced into the reactor to shut it down
5) They don't catch fire, they just melt.

The newer reactors are so safe that in the event of a complete cooling failure, all you would need to do is add water every 24-48 hours to keep it from melting down. *Even if it did melt, all would still be contained within the containment dome.

I was seriously ticked off when they cancelled a nuke plant near my home here in TN. *We have GOT to get away from fossil fuels.

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:D

Thank you for the facts seeker!
I will rest better now. And all in all that is what is important. Sleep = LDs

I was disagreeing with Brooke that the plume over the reactor was steam, not smoke and the entire nuclear process takes place underneath that huge cooling retainer. I told her that that is why it is adjacent to the lake. For the cooling system. I don't think she believes me. :P

I still advocate windmills. I began a topic on that once and it was shot down like a Dick Cheaney.... uuum quail hunt was it?

It was a pretty terrible disaster; but you have to remember that Russia isn't the most technologically or safety recognised country on the planet.

The disaster was caused mostly by human error; the two men operating the plant at the time were completely incompetent and badly trained.

We are learning from past mistakes, and in my opinion Nuclear Power is the way forward, as long as safety measures are constantly reviewed.

Quote:

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Originally posted by Pensive Patrick
It was a pretty terrible disaster; but you have to remember that Russia isn't the most technologically or safety recognised country on the planet.

The disaster was caused mostly by human error; the two men operating the plant at the time were completely incompetent and badly trained.

We are learning from past mistakes, and in my opinion Nuclear Power is the way forward, as long as safety measures are constantly reviewed.

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You are right, that time in period it was a race between Russia ans us for technological superiority. Much like the race for space.
At least we had some limitations ----(as far as we know :P )
Russia would spare know expense to beat us.

i actually read quite a bit about the chernobyl disaster several months ago. i was 5 when it happened so i dont remember it, i was in 12th grade when i 1st heard about it. i read a very good website about it-elenafilatova.com. this girl rode thru and took photos. she talks about how they covered up the truth about how bad it was-like they said only about 30-something people died (yeah, those who died in the initial explosion) they didnt acknowledge all the peopl who are are STILL dying from cancers caused by this. apparently, people are still evacuating cities cuz this area is actually growing-the contamination.

you should read it.

i would never wanna live anywhere near a nuclear power plant. those reactors seem so unstable, one screw up and all kinds of horrible hell could happen.

i was living in california at the time of the chernobyl disaster and pregnant with my 2nd child. i was told by my ob to only eat/drink old (pre-disaster) cheese and powdered milk for at least 2 or 3 months as the fallout drifted across the pacific ocean and gave at least the west coast radioactve milk cows.

there really is no such thing as local action that doesn't affect gobal affairs.

Quote:

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Originally posted by ignatz
i was living in california at the time of the chernobyl disaster and pregnant with my 2nd child. i was told by my ob to only eat/drink old (pre-disaster) cheese and powdered milk for at least 2 or 3 months as the fallout drifted across the pacific ocean and gave at least the west coast radioactve milk cows.

there really is no such thing as local action that doesn't affect gobal affairs.

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Wow. Hi ignatz.
That is something people do not usually take into consideration how the weather patterns would greatly effect the fallout area.
I was not aware that the west coast was affected though.

I often wonder what the result is or was from all the nuclear tests done in Nevada and such. :microwave:

There is an increasing threat from Iran (IMO) even if they were seeking the means of nuclear capabilities because their regulations are not up to NRC standards.
It is a no win situation developing.

i was born in the same week of the accident, so every time i tell something my mirthday and age, they tell me "aaah, chernobyl"
very sad indeed.