Atomic risk to Europe

I believe this is an existential threat to Europe, hard to quantify but real.

Zaporizhzhia atomic plant

Introduction video

UN International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi

https://news.sky.com/video/ukraine-un-watchdog-warns-of-potential-accident-at-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-power-plant-12893526

https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-war-workers-at-deteriorating-zaporizhzhia-plant-fear-devastation-on-a-scale-worse-than-chernobyl-12893115

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cI1pY7E444

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JKoTpKj9RM

Dnipro River in Russian-occupied Ukraine

Europe's largest nuclear power station

Worker Serhii

Devastation, much of Europe, Russia, Mediterranean

The level of radioactive pollution, and most importantly the area of contamination, will be thousands of square kilometres of land and sea… it would be much, much worse than Fukushima and worse than Chernobyl.

Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, captured by Russian, March 2022

Shells and rocket hits

Russia targeting power lines

Seven power cuts since March 2022

Back-up generators, poor quality work force

11,000 staff now down to 3,500

Big leak could stop any southern Ukrainian counteroffensive

Level of military activity has increased
Worker Serhii

Ukrainian armed forces will not shell the station

Worker Mykola

Everyone has their own story. And I think the most important thing is not to get into their hands because it's unlikely you will get out and still be the human you were when you went in.

The International Atomic Energy Agency

Calling for area to be demilitarised immediately

Chernobyl 4 reactor 1986

https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-chernobyl-accident

29,400 km2 was contaminated above 180 kBq/m2

530,000 liquidators irradiated, 120 millisieverts (mSv)

Global average annual dose of 2.4 mSv natural background radiation

(UK 2.7 mSv)

https://www.greenfacts.org/en/chernobyl/toolboxes/half-life-radioisotopes.htm

Iodine -131 (8 days)

Caesium-137 (30 years)

Strontium-90 (29 years)

Plutonium-241 (14 years, 430 years)

Fissile uranium U-235 isotope (703 million years)

Potassium Iodide for Nuclear Radiation Emergencies

https://www.webmd.com/first-aid/potassium-iodide-radiation

You’ll take potassium iodide before or right after you’re exposed to radioactive iodine,

3 to 4 hours after won’t be as effective.

Take the medication once a day until the risk of radiation exposure no longer exists.

Most important

Pregnant or lactating women

Newborns

Children

Doses of potassium iodide

Adults, 130-milligram pill

12- 18, over 150 pounds, (68Kg) 130-milligram pill

12- 18, under 150 pounds, (68Kg) 65-milligram pill

3 to 12, one 65-milligram pill

Newborns to one month, 16.25 mg

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/iodine/

Adults need 140 micrograms (μg) of iodine a day.

Family protection

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nuclear-emergencies-information-for-the-public

Sheltering

Staying indoors with doors and windows closed,

degree of protection from breathing in radioactive material,

and dust / fall out

Evacuation

Stable iodine tablets

Food

Soil - grass – plants food chains

Milk or other foods

Eating contaminated food, build up over time