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Fabian 1 The Chernobyl Meltdown: Government Irresponsibility and Denied Rights in the World’s Worst Nuclear Disaster

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Page 1: Chernobyl Meltdown NHD

Fabian 1

The Chernobyl Meltdown:Government Irresponsibility and

Denied Rights in the World’s Worst Nuclear Disaster

Reegan M. FabianJunior DivisionHistorical Paper

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The world’s most catastrophic nuclear accident not only destroyed the physical structure

of the Chernobyl Power Plant, but forever altered the lives of thousands of innocent victims. The

Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, located in the now abandoned Ukrainian town of Pripyat, was a

relatively new plant, completed in 1983 (World Nuclear Association). Its failure, occurring on

April 26 1986 at 1:23:43 a.m., was a shocking, fast-paced disaster. The initiation of an

experimental test of the plant’s fourth reactor, ended in a large steam explosion, releasing

immense amounts of radiation into the atmosphere (Eustory). The Chernobyl Disaster is the most

destructive nuclear accident in history, but it was entirely preventable. Through a combination of

poorly executed responsibilities including the ignoring of previous historical mishaps and

government negligence, the Chernobyl explosion became both an environmental and human

rights disaster. The Chernobyl Disaster transformed the way the world looks at nuclear power

and the possible consequence of improper management.

The Chernobyl Disaster is an example of failed responsibilities because of the many

nuclear accidents that should have served as examples of what to avoid. Chernobyl mimicked the

calamitous outcomes of the atomic bombs dropped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan in August

1945 (World Nuclear Association). Although the A-bomb was not a power plant explosion and

more immediately devastating than Chernobyl, the radiation’s effects were quite similar. Many

of the 103,000 people killed by the A-bombs died from various radiation illnesses such as acute

radiation exposure and cancer (World Nuclear Association). The main cause of Chernobyl deaths

were thyroid cancer and the first signs of illness were acute radiation syndrome (United Nations).

Just like Chernobyl, the radionuclide, Caseium-237, “[…] remained detectable for many years in

soil and farm products in the Nishiyama district east of Nagasaki” (World Nuclear Association).

Caseium-237 continues to be the main radioactive isotope found in communities affected by

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Chernobyl (Maryann Deleo). After the A-bombs, birth defect rates rose considerably in heavily

radioactive areas (World Nuclear Association). Similarly, birth defects skyrocketed in Belarus,

Ukraine, and Russia, after the 1986 explosion (United Nations). Chernobyl Operators and the

USSR failed to uphold their responsibility to take appropriate steps to prevent a similar disaster

resulting in Chernobyl mirroring many of the A-bomb’s horrific “side effects.” Sadly, the A-

bomb was only the first nuclear happening that called for attention and improvement that

Chernobyl proceeded to ignore.

Moreover, the Chernobyl meltdown paralleled the Three Mile Island Accident. In 1979, a

partial nuclear explosion occurred in central Pennsylvania (World Nuclear Association).

Although most of the radiation was contained and no serious health hazards or injuries arose, the

accident demonstrated unacceptable mistakes. The relatively new second reactor exploded due to

a minor cooling malfunction triggered by poor operator actions. The overheated reactor

automatically shut down, partially melting the core and releasing a small amount of radiation.

Luckily, the plant’s on-site containment building displayed its integrity and trapped the

radioactive material, unlike Chernobyl, which did not house any buildings of that capability

(World Nuclear Association). Instead of learning from Three Mile Island’s flaws, Chernobyl

proceeded to duplicate them. The Chernobyl explosion occurred due to extreme temperature

changes and operator actions, just like in Pennsylvania. Furthermore, confused Pennsylvanians

were fed contradictory information about the explosion and whether the radiation posed health

threats (Bromet 83-84). After the Chernobyl Accident, evacuated citizens were never told the

full story and only had access to minimal information. The fact that Three Mile Island’s accident

occurred within ten years of Chernobyl is particularly alarming. The plants’ similar attributes

should have served as a warning because Chernobyl could have very well been next in line. The

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responsibility to recognize similar threats and address them properly was overlooked by the

USSR. The fact that the Soviets were unable to learn from their own mistakes highlights their

irresponsibility. Their secretive nature only furthered their failure to protect their citizens.

Even through all of its secrecy, it was discovered that Chernobyl was not the first nuclear

disaster to occur in the USSR. The USSR claimed Chernobyl to be their first nuclear accident.

However, “it is known in 1958, a nuclear explosion killed several hundred and left a large area

contaminated, some 800 miles east of Moscow” (ABC News). Little has been revealed about this

accident, due to the Soviet’s secrecy. This idea is unsettling because there are, potentially, more

disasters hidden in their history. As a result of the Soviet’s clandestine behavior, they failed to

prevent the reoccurrence of their own mistakes, thus leading to Chernobyl. Unfortunately, the

inability to improve flaws with the help of examples was only one component of the mistakes

made by the USSR and plant operators.

Fig.1: Reactor Four’s physical destruction (Chernobyl Reactor Destruction)

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Poor governmental involvement by the USSR and amateur decisions of operators also led

to Chernobyl’s devastation. The Chernobyl reactors, all built of the same RBMK-100 design,

were ticking time bombs. Not only was the RBMK design dangerous to begin with, but the

reactors at the plant did not comply with the design instruction. According to a letter sent to the

Chernobyl plant in 1979 by the Committee of State Security, operators of the newly built

reactors No. 1 and 2 were warned of the structural mistakes committed and the possibility of

mishaps if they were left unattended. These mistakes included “The placement of roof plates

[…]” and the fact that 170 individuals had experienced work-related injuries in under a year

(USSR Committee of State Security). Though these problems may have been mitigated, reactors

3 and 4 were also created imperfectly, which most likely contributed to Reactor Four’s demise.

Thankfully, RBMK design weaknesses have been largely improved upon since 1986. The

substantial improvements vary from adding the correct number of control rods, to making system

responses speedier (IAEA). The goal of safety and high quality was impossible with the RBMK

design. The USSR was responsible for choosing the best specifics for the plant, as well as

making sure they were carried out in the most efficient way possible. The RBMK design was a

gateway to a sloppy future regarding safety culture and emergency preparation.

Shoddy operator actions contributed greatly to the Chernobyl Meltdown. Chernobyl

operators were not properly educated of the importance of caution with nuclear power and as a

result, took serious decisions too lightly. Before the explosion, safety systems were turned off

during an experiment to test unassisted emergency responses of the cooling system (Eustory).

Even though, some safety disables were prohibited, it appears to have not been taken as seriously

as it should have. Due to the USSR being isolated from the rest of the modern world, safety

culture was never properly stressed to workers. For example, very few control rods were used,

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proving the workers were not experts in their field (Eustory). In fact, operators knew so little

about nuclear power management that the Chernobyl happenings were compared to the satirical

animated TV show, “The Simpsons”, whose main character, Homer Simpson, is an inept power

plant operator.

Fig.2: Photo of “The Simpsons” mural juxtaposed with the destruction of the Chernobyl accident

(COMBO).

If Chernobyl operators had been better educated, the disaster may have never occurred.

Additionally, fear and confusion overtook the operators, moments before the explosion. Hence,

all they could do was accept their decisions and watch the consequence of them literally explode

before their eyes. The Chernobyl operators were walking around blindly with the absence of

information needed to correctly run a nuclear power plant. To this day, operator actions are still

inadequate. In 2010, a story emerged about the irresponsible choices of a group of Chernobyl

workers involving the scaring away of a rabid, radioactive wolf that was walking near the plant

(Featherstone 58). The vague presence of safety culture led to poor worker decisions, which

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directly caused the Chernobyl accident. Ridiculously, the USSR continued to ignore safety

concerns by not monitoring its plant.

The USSR allowed the Chernobyl disaster to occur by not closely monitoring the site,

and then proceeding to cover up the damage and diminish the fallout’s severity. The USSR’s

display of carelessness prevented operators from learning from their mistakes. Even though the

USSR claimed to be the governing body, they never routinely checked on the plant’s internal and

external conditions. Numerous requirements were detailed but unenforced (IAEA). The

International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group “[…] now confirms the view that safety culture

had not been properly instilled in nuclear power plants in the USSR […] many of its

requirements seem to have existed in regulations, but these were not enforced" (IAEA).

Therefore, the Chernobyl staff created their own management system. In addition, the USSR

allowed Chernobyl personnel to make poor decisions during the experiment that resulted in the

explosion. Personnel were unaware of the complexity of nuclear power and therefore, unfit to

conduct dangerous experiments. After the accident, the USSR was too crippled by their

embarrassment to handle the situation in a responsible manner.

The Chernobyl disaster was an embarrassment to the USSR and they began efforts to

conceal, down play, and hide the disaster’s true causes. One of the first attempts to withhold

information was the delay of an official disaster announcement until 9:00pm the day after the

disaster (Eustory). The announcement came after the nearby town of Pripyat had been evacuated

and several countries, including the United States, had already recognized the reality of the

situation due to a radioactive cloud moving over Europe (ABC News). The USSR continually

lied to their people, for example, "The government announced that the radioactive debris falling

was actually snow” (Chabad’s Children of Children). Still, countries were eager to offer

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assistance in the USSR’s time of need; in a press release dated four days after the accident, the

United States expressed its sorrow and concern for the recent crisis. “We hope that the casualties

and material damage will be minimal. The United States is prepared to make available to the

Soviet Union humanitarian and technical assistance dealing with this accident […] we hope the

Soviet Union will fulfill its international obligations to provide information on the accident in a

timely manner” (Statement by Principal Deputy).

Fig.3: Cartoon alluding to the USSR’s failure to provide for victims and the media’s importance

for the spread of information (Block).

The USSR was so paralyzed by its own shame that even as the world was begging for answers, it

remained mute. Instead of accepting their mistake and attempting to fix it, they continued to play

down the seriousness of the situation. "[…] the underestimation of the radiation injuries of the

Chernobyl disaster has been concealing and falsifying the fact” (United Nations: Economic and

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Social Council). The USSR, Chernobyl workers, and RBMK design all contributed to the

cultural effects including illness, on European citizens that altered lives of thousands of people.

In addition to poor governmental involvement and irresponsible operations of the plant,

the Chernobyl disaster resulted in human rights violations. After the fallout, the USSR violated

articles 13, 23, and 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Universal Declaration of

Human Rights). Article 13 dealt with the evacuation of the adjacent town of Pripyat, Ukraine. It

states, “Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each

state” (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, art.13, sec.1).  Through necessary but forced

evacuation, Article 13 was violated. Even though the evacuation was for the safety of citizens, it

was forced and nobody was allowed to stay. This impeaches upon being able to reside in any part

of the country. Article 23 states, “Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment,

to just and favorable conditions of work [...]” (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, art.23,

sec.1).  Conditions at the power plant were poor before and after the accident. Before, the safety

culture was weak, after, the plant was radioactive. Article 25 states that “Everyone has the right

to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family,

including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to

security[…]”(Universal Declaration of Human Rights, art.25, sec.1). To this day, villages and

towns hundreds of miles away remain radioactive (United Nations: Economic and Social

Council). Consuming fresh milk containing the radioactive material "I" was identified as a major

cause of thyroid cancer (United Nations). “According to UN reports, approximately 1 million

people were exposed to unsafe levels of radiation through the consumption of food” (“Ukraine”

16).  Poverty forced many to come in contact with contaminated objects and, as a result, become

increasingly poisoned (UNDP and UNICEF). Furthermore, proper medical care was unavailable.

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This was partially due to the USSR’s disbelief of health effects after the fallout. The USSR was

unprepared for the health consequences and, as a result, inadequately addressed the needs of

those affected (United Nations: Economic and Social Council). Evacuated citizens were provided

the same vague information as the rest of the world. In fact, for three long years, an information

blackout occurred in Belarus. This included the information that 70 percent of all radioactive

material was nestled on Belarus's soil and that one fourth of citizens lived in contaminated areas

(Permanent People's Tribunal and International Medical Commission on Chernobyl). As a result

of the USSR denying the victims of Chernobyl their basic human rights, citizens in countless

countries were dying or ill. These human rights violations led to further destruction: radiation

that would soon suffocate the countries of Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia.

Radiation induced illnesses were the most preventable and horrific aspect of the

Chernobyl Meltdown. The radiation released after the explosion caused widespread sickness in

many countries. Sadly, many of the inflicted were children or young adults, being of the most

susceptible to radiation (Maryann Deleo). Lethal illnesses, such as cancer infected nearly every

Chernobyl victim. After the Fallout, thyroid cancer cases skyrocketed in Belarus, Ukraine, and

Russia (United Nations).

Fig.4: Incidence of thyroid cancer in Belarus 1985-2004 (Frenze and Lengfelder 45).

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Due to the long list of cancer patients awaiting surgery, most would die before receiving the life-

saving treatment. Belarus’s capitol, Minsk, is home to the largest thyroid centers in the world.

The fallout forced Minsk to become the international thyroid cancer center, being that the

infected were so common in Belarus (99% of country affected by radiation) (Maryann Deleo).

Thyroid cancer became such a prevalent part of everyday life that poets began describing the

epidemic saying, "We dreamed of glowing children, their throats alive and cancerous, their eyes

like lightning in the dark” (Dubrow). Children and infants were disproportionately affected by

the nuclear disaster.

Possibly most heartbreaking were the birth defects of hundreds of thousands of innocent

children. After the fallout, birth defect rates shot to an all-time high in many European countries

including Belarus and Ukraine. “Congenital birth defects have increased by over 250% since the

1986 accident” (Maryann Deleo). Shortly after the fallout began, 84% of Belarusian babies

would be born with some sort of handicap, due to radiation exposure in the womb (Maryann

Deleo). As a result, countless children with birth defects were abandoned and forced to live in

neglectful, overcrowded asylums and orphanages (Maryann Deleo). Such handicaps would

prevent children from succeeding in school, developing normal physical abilities, and,

eventually, holding a normal job (Maryann DeLeo). Thankfully, within 5 years of the explosion,

many organizations rescued children from radioactive areas, in hopes of giving them a better life.

The Chabad’s Children of Chernobyl Organization has been rescuing children since August 3

1990, when they saved 196 children from their radioactive towns. “Since then, thousands of

children have come through CCOC’s doors, where they receive housing, education and medical

care […]”. The CCOC still, to this day, removes children, including those suffering from birth

defects, from many radioactive countries (Chabad's Children of Chernobyl). Although, the birth

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defect levels have decreased since 1986, cases still arise of infants with radiation-related

problems (United Nations: Economic and Social Council). Of all the irresponsible actions of the

USSR, the treatment of children with birth defects was one of the most neglected. The Chernobyl

Disaster is an important event for its countless lessons on the deadly effects of carelessness.

The Chernobyl Disaster is the epitome of irresponsible decisions and a violation of

people’s rights. Little did the world know, that the sudden steam explosion of 1986 would

devastate over 9 million people’s lives for countless decades (Maryann DeLeo). The fact that the

entire meltdown and all of its effects could have been completely avoided makes Chernobyl the

worst nuclear disaster in history. The Chernobyl Disaster was triggered by the failure to learn

lessons of past historical accidents coupled with poor government involvement. This, in turn,

shattered the lives of millions through the denial of human rights and radiation-induced illnesses.

Unbelievably, the explosion only released 3% of its full potential. (Maryann DeLeo). The

Chernobyl Disaster changed the way the world looks at nuclear power. The disaster serves as a

reminder for the importance of safety, caution, and exactitude in the operation of chemical

reactors. Although some small nuclear accidents have occurred since 1986, the casualties and

severity have decreased. The day of April 26, 1986 will forever be a turning point in our world’s

history. Through all of Chernobyl’s darkness, it paved the way for a brighter future by serving as

an example of rights and responsibilities for generations to come.