We are all exposed to radiation in one form or another every day. However, in twenty-five places, which we will tell you about below, the level of radiation is much higher, which is why they are included in the list of the 25 most radioactive places on Earth. If you decide to visit any of these places, don't be mad if you later discover an extra pair of eyes when you look in the mirror...(well, maybe that's an exaggeration...or maybe not).

Mining of alkaline earth metals | Karunagappally, India

Karunagappally is a municipality in Kollam district of the Indian state of Kerala, where rare metals are mined. Some of these metals, especially monazite, have become beach sand and alluvial sediments due to erosion. Thanks to this, radiation in some places on the beach reaches 70 mGy/year.

Fort d'Aubervilliers | Paris, France

Radiation tests found quite strong radiation at Fort D'Aubervilliers. Cesium-137 and radium-226 were found in 61 of the tanks stored there. In addition, 60 cubic meters its territories were also contaminated with radiation.

Acerinox Scrap Metal Processing Plant | Los Barrios, Spain

In this case, the source of cesium-137 was undetected by monitoring devices at the Acherinox scrap metal yard. When melted, the source released a radioactive cloud with radiation levels up to 1,000 times normal. Contamination was later reported in Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland and Austria.

NASA Santa Susana Field Laboratory | Simi Valley, California

The town of Simi Valley, California, is home to NASA's Santa Susanna Field Laboratory, and over the years, problems have been detected at approximately ten nuclear reactors low power due to several fires involving radioactive metals. On at the moment Cleanup operations are underway at this heavily contaminated site.

Mayak plutonium production plant | Muslyumovo, Russia

Because of the Mayak plutonium extraction plant, built in 1948, residents of Muslyumovo in the southern Ural Mountains are suffering from the consequences of drinking water, contaminated with radiation, which led to chronic diseases and physical disabilities.

Church Rock Uranium Mill | Church Rock, New Mexico

During the infamous Church Rock uranium enrichment plant accident, more than a thousand tons of radioactive solid waste and 352,043 cubic meters of acid radioactive waste solution spilled into the Puerco River. As a result, radiation levels increased to 7,000 times normal. A study carried out in 2003 showed that the river's waters are still polluted.

Apartment | Kramatorsk, Ukraine

In 1989, a small capsule containing highly radioactive cesium-137 was discovered inside the concrete wall of a residential building in Kramatorsk, Ukraine. The surface of this capsule had a dose of gamma radiation equal to 1800 R/year. As a result, six people died and 17 were injured.

Brick houses | Yangjiang, China

The urban district of Yangjiang is replete with houses made of sand and clay bricks. Unfortunately, the sand in this region comes from parts of the hills that contain monazite, which breaks down into radium, actinium and radon. The high levels of radiation from these elements explain the high incidence of cancer in the area.

Natural background radiation | Ramsar, Iran

This part of Iran has one of the highest levels of natural background radiation on Earth. Radiation levels at Ramsar reach 250 millisieverts per year.

Radioactive sand | Guarapari, Brazil

Due to erosion of the naturally occurring radioactive element monazite, the sands of Guarapari's beaches are radioactive, with radiation levels reaching 175 millisieverts, a far cry from the acceptable level of 20 millisieverts.

McClure Radioactive Site | Scarborough, Ontario

The McClure radioactive site, a housing development in Scarborough, Ontario, has been a radiation-contaminated site since the 1940s. The contamination was caused by radium recovered from scrap metal that was to be used for experiments.

Subterranean Springs of Paralana | Arkaroola, Australia

The Paralana underground springs flow through rocks rich in uranium and, according to research, these hot springs carry radioactive radon and uranium has been on the surface for over a billion years.

Institute of Radiotherapy of Goiás (Instituto Goiano de Radioterapia) | Goias, Brazil

Radioactive contamination of Goiás, Brazil resulted from a radioactive radiation accident following the theft of a source radiation therapy from an abandoned hospital. Hundreds of thousands of people have died due to the pollution, and even today radiation is still rampant in several areas of Goiás.

Denver Federal Center | Denver, Colorado

The Denver Federal Center has been used as a disposal site for a variety of waste, including chemicals, contaminated materials and road demolition debris. This waste was transported to various locations, resulting in radioactive contamination of several areas in Denver.

McGuire Air Force Base | Burlington County, New Jersey

In 2007, McGuire Air Force Base was identified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as one of the most polluted air bases in the country. That same year, the US military ordered a cleanup of contaminants at the base, but contamination is still present there.

Hanford Nuclear Reservation Site | Hanford, Washington

The Hanford complex, which was an integral part American project on production atomic bombs, produced plutonium for the atomic bomb that was eventually dropped on Nagasaki, Japan. Although the plutonium stockpile was written off, approximately two-thirds of the volume remained at Hanford, causing groundwater contamination.

In the middle of the sea | Mediterranean Sea

A syndicate controlled by the Italian mafia is believed to be using the Mediterranean Sea as a dumping ground for hazardous radioactive waste. It is believed that about 40 ships carrying toxic and radioactive waste are sailing through the Mediterranean Sea, leaving large number radioactive waste in the oceans.

Coast of Somalia | Mogadishu, Somalia

Some claim that the soil of Somalia's unprotected coast has been used by the mafia to dump nuclear waste and toxic metals, which includes 600 barrels of toxic materials. This, unfortunately, turned out to be true when a tsunami hit the coast in 2004 and rusting barrels buried here several decades ago were discovered.

Production Association "Mayak" | Mayak, Russia

The lighthouse in Russia was for many decades the site of a huge nuclear power plant. It all started in 1957, when approximately 100 tons of radioactive waste were released into the environment in a disaster that resulted in an explosion that contaminated a huge area. However, nothing was reported about this explosion until 1980, when it was discovered that since the 50s, radioactive waste from the power plant had been dumped in the surrounding area, including into Lake Karachay. The contamination exposed more than 400,000 people to high levels of radiation.

Sellafield Power Plant | Sellafield, UK

Before it was converted into a commercial site, Sellafield in the UK was used to produce plutonium for atomic bombs. Today, about two thirds of the buildings that are located in Sellafield are considered radioactively contaminated. This facility releases about eight million liters of contaminated waste every day, polluting the environment and causing deaths for people living nearby.

Siberian Chemical Plant | Siberia, Russia

Just like Mayak, Siberia is also home to one of the largest chemical plants in the world. The Siberian chemical plant produces 125,000 tons of solid waste, polluting the groundwater of the surrounding area. The study also found that wind and rain carry this waste to wildlife, calling high levels mortality among wild animals.

Polygon | Semipalatinsk Test Site, Kazakhstan

The test site in Kazakhstan is best known for its atomic bomb project. This deserted place was transformed into an institution where Soviet Union exploded his first atomic bomb. The landfill currently holds the record for the largest concentration nuclear explosions in the world. Approximately 200 thousand people are currently suffering from the effects of this radiation.

Western Mining and Chemical Plant | Mailuu-Suu, Kyrgyzstan

Mailuu-Suu is considered one of the most polluted places in the world. Unlike other radioactive sites, this site receives its radiation not from nuclear bombs or power plants, but from large-scale uranium mining and processing activities, releasing approximately 1.96 million cubic meters of radioactive waste into the area.

Chernobyl nuclear power plant | Chernobyl, Ukraine

Heavily contaminated with radiation, Chernobyl is the site of one of the world's worst nuclear accidents. Over the years, the radiation disaster at Chernobyl has affected six million people in the area and is predicted to result in an estimated 4,000 to 93,000 deaths. The Chernobyl nuclear disaster released 100 times more radiation into the atmosphere than was released by the nuclear bombs in Nagasaki and Hiroshima.

Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant | Fukushima, Japan

The aftermath of the Fukushima Prefecture earthquake in Japan is said to be the longest-lasting nuclear disaster in the world. The disaster, considered the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl, caused the meltdown of three reactors, leading to a massive radiation leak that was detected 322 kilometers from the power plant.

Radiation is scary, at least some types of it. Geiger counter does not respond to mobile phone, wi-fi router and a microwave, since it only measures ionizing radiation, which has enough energy to knock electrons out of atoms. It is measured in sieverts. If you receive more than 2 sieverts of radiation at one time, you will probably die soon. But we are constantly exposed to small doses of ionizing radiation. For example, bananas are rich in potassium, some of which is naturally radioactive. So when you eat bananas, you receive 0.1 microsievert of radiation. This is 1/10,000,000 sievert. Intermediate level radiation on the planet is from 0.1 to 0.2 microsieverts per hour.

Who on Earth is most affected by ionizing radiation? For clarity, I propose to walk through some places on our planet and find out the approximate level of radiation. Next, we will get acquainted with professions in which receiving radiation is inevitable. And in conclusion, we will come to who receives the largest dose of radiation.

Hiroshima, Japan

In the city of Hiroshima, a nuclear bomb was detonated above the dome of the Peace Memorial at an altitude of 600 meters. This was done specifically to cause as much destruction as possible. 70 years later, radiation levels here are just 0.3 microsieverts per hour.

Jachymov, Czech Republic

Old uranium mine. It was here that uranium was first discovered. This is also the place where Marie Curie received her raw materials. 1.7 microsievert per hour. This is almost 10 times more than normal background radiation. To date, most of the uranium has already been extracted. But in the mine, under ultraviolet light, you can still see how uranium glows in some places.

Institut Curie, Paris

Marie Curie received two Nobel Prizes. One in physics and one in chemistry. You can still find her workplace at at least a couple of places with strong radiation. One of them is the door handle. The radiation level here is approximately 1.5 microsieverts. The second place, oddly enough, is the back of her chair. The presence of alpha particles can still be detected on it.

Trinity Nuclear Test Site, New Mexico

The first atomic bomb was exploded at this test site. When the bomb exploded, so much heat was released that all the sand turned into green glass. It can still be found there. This mineral was named after the test - Trinitite. The radiation level here is about 0.8 microsieverts per hour. Trinity itself is more radioactive. It emits 2 to 3 microsieverts per hour.

But all this cannot be compared with the level of radiation in a regular plane! The higher you go, the less atmosphere there is above you to protect you from cosmic radiation. Radiation levels inside the aircraft are approximately 0.5 microsievert at an altitude of 5.5 km, 1 microsievert at 7 km, more than 2 microsievert at an altitude of 9 km and more than 3 at high altitudes and near the poles.

Chernobyl, Ukraine

Chernobyl power unit No. 4. It exploded on April 26, 1986. Next to it, the radiation level is now about 5 microsieverts per hour. If you stand near it for one hour, the dose of radiation received will be comparable to what it would be like if you took an X-ray of your teeth. One of the reasons why the radiation level is not so high is that a couple of meters of soil was removed from the surface from the entire area and then taken away.

But not everything in those areas is so rosy. There is a hospital in Pripyat, where clothes were taken to the basement (or rather simply thrown away) after they learned about radiation. The radiation level here is very high! It amounts to more than 2000 microsieverts per hour!

Fukushima, Japan

The Japanese are now, just like in Chernobyl, removing a layer of soil meter by meter. This is evidenced by the black bags standing along the roads at the entrance to Fukushima. Since the accident occurred only 3 years ago, the device will show from 5 to 10 microsieverts per hour. It is estimated that residents of Fukushima will receive an additional 10,000 microsieverts over their lifetime due to the nuclear power plant disaster.

Conclusion

When talking about radiation, one cannot help but touch on the topic of medicine. One computed tomography chest is 7000 microsievert.

In the United States, the limit for nuclear power plant workers is 50,000 microsieverts per year. This is less than for another profession - for astronauts. Over the course of half a year on the ISS, an astronaut receives a radiation dose of 80,000 microsieverts. But even they are not exposed to the highest levels of radiation.

SMOKER'S LUNGS are exposed to the highest level of radiation! On average, a smoker's lungs receive 160,000 microsieverts of radiation each year. All because of the radioactive polonium and lead in the tobacco they smoke. That is, they expose themselves not only to carcinogens and toxins, but also receive the highest doses of radiation.

Incredible facts

Although the 2011 earthquake in Japan and the Fukushima scare have reignited fears about radioactivity, many do not realize that radioactive contamination is a global hazard.

And there are many more places in the world where people are at risk from exposure to radiation.

1. Hanford, USA

Hanford complex in Washington was an integral part of the American atomic bomb project to produce plutonium for the first nuclear bomb and the "Fat Man" bomb dropped on Nagasaki. As the Cold War progressed, production was increased, supplying the plutonium for most of America's 60,000-ton nuclear weapons.

Although the complex has been decommissioned, it still contains two-thirds of the country's volume of high-level radioactive waste: about 204 thousand cubic meters. liquid waste, 710 thousand cubic meters. m of solid waste and about 500 sq. km of contaminated groundwater, making this place most polluted in the US.

The environmental devastation of this area makes it clear that the radioactive threat is not only one that can be carried out as a result of a missile attack, but also one that lurks in the very center of the country.

2. Mediterranean Sea

For years the syndicate 'Ndrangheta, owned by the Italian mafia, was accused of using the seas as a convenient place to dump hazardous waste, including radioactive waste. An Italian NGO suspects that about 40 ships carrying toxic and radioactive waste have disappeared in Mediterranean waters since 1994.

If true, these allegations paint a ominous picture. unknown amount of radioactive waste in the Mediterranean, whose real danger will become clear when hundreds of tanks become unusable or are otherwise opened. Thus, the beauty of the Mediterranean Sea may hide a real environmental disaster.

3. Somali coast

If it comes to this sinister business, then the organization of the Italian mafia remained not only on its own territory. There are claims that Somali waters and soil, which are not protected by the government, were used for flooding and disposal of radioactive waste and toxic metals, including 600 barrels of toxic and radioactive waste and hospital radioactive waste.

In fact, the UN program for environment believes rusted barrels of waste washed up on the Somali coast during the 2004 tsunami. The country is already a wasteland, and the impact of waste could have an even more devastating impact on Somalia's poor.

Production Association " Lighthouse"in northeast Russia was a nuclear power plant for many decades, and in 1957 became the site of one of the largest nuclear disasters. During the explosion, up to 100 tons of radioactive waste were released, contaminating a huge area. The explosion itself was carefully hidden until the 1980s Beginning in the 1950s, waste from the plant was discharged from the surrounding area into the Karachay River, causing contamination of the water supply on which thousands of people depended.

Experts believe that Karachay is the most radioactive place in the world. As a result of various accidents, including fires and deadly dust storms, about 400 thousand people were exposed to radiation from the plant. The natural beauty of Lake Karachay is fraught with deadly pollutants, where the level of radiation in the water streams is so high that it can give a lethal dose within an hour.

5. Sellafield, UK

Situated on west coast England, Sellafield was originally a facility for the production of plutonium for nuclear bombs, but then became a commercial site. Since its inception, the plant has suffered hundreds of accidents, and about two-thirds of the buildings are considered radioactive waste.

Every day, the station releases about 8 million liters of contaminated waste into the sea, making The Irish Sea is the most radioactive sea in the world. And although England is famous for its green fields and rolling landscape, at its very center lies a toxic, unsafe facility that dumps hazardous waste directly into the oceans.

6. Siberian Chemical Plant, Russia

Mayak is not the only polluted place in Russia. There is a chemical facility in Siberia that contains nuclear waste that is more than four decades old. Liquid waste is stored in poorly maintained open basins and containers that contain approximately 125,000 tons of solid waste, while waste stored underground may leak into groundwater.

Winds and rains spread the pollution to wildlife and the surrounding area. At the same time, various minor accidents led to plutonium going missing somewhere, and radiation was repeatedly released during explosions. And, despite the fact that the snowy landscape looks peaceful, the facts indicate a high level of pollution in this area.

7. Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, Kazakhstan

Once the site of Soviet nuclear weapons testing, this territory is now part of modern Kazakhstan. The site was targeted for the Soviet atomic bomb due to its "uninhabited" nature, although in reality it was home to about 700,000 people.

This was the site where the USSR detonated its first atomic bomb and holds the record with largest concentration of nuclear explosions in the world. So, over 40 years, at least 465 nuclear tests were carried out here from 1949 to 1989. These tests were conducted in the facility itself, and the radiation exposure itself was kept secret until the facility closed in 1991. Scientists believe that during its existence, radiation affected the health of about 200 thousand people.

According to the report Blacksmith Institute this place is considered one of the ten most polluted cities in the world. The radiation in Mailu-Suu comes not from nuclear bombs or nuclear power plants, but from the extraction of materials needed in the processes they entail. This area was the site of uranium mines and the processing facility contains approximately 36 uranium waste dumps, amounting to approximately 1.96 million cubic meters.

The region is also prone to seismic activity and any slowdown in containment could cause waste to flow into rivers, contaminating water used by hundreds of thousands of people. People living here may not only suffer from the danger of a nuclear strike, but also from radioactive fallout if an earthquake occurs.

9. Chernobyl, Ukraine

The site of one of the largest and most notorious nuclear disasters, Chernobyl is still heavily contaminated, despite the fact that only a small number of people are allowed into the area. short time. The notorious accident exposed more than 6 million people to radiation, leading to the death, according to various estimates, from 4 thousand to 93 thousand people. As a result of the disaster, it was released 100 times more radiation than the atomic bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Belarus received about 70 percent of the radiation, and since then its inhabitants have dealt with a large number sick with cancer. And even today, Chernobyl presents a horrifying picture of human suffering.

10. Fukushima, Japan

The 2011 earthquake and tsunami was a tragedy that destroyed homes and lives, but the impact of the Fukushima nuclear power plant may be one of the longest lasting hazards. The worst disaster since Chernobyl, it destroyed three of the six reactors, leaking radiation into the surrounding area and into the water, so that radioactive material was detected more than 320 km from the plant.

The incident and its aftermath are still unfolding, and the true scale of the impact is still unknown. The very impact of this disaster may be felt by future generations.

We are all exposed to radiation in one form or another every day. However, in twenty-five places, which we will tell you about below, the level of radiation is much higher, which is why they are included in the list of the 25 most radioactive places on Earth. If you decide to visit any of these places, don't be mad if you later discover an extra pair of eyes when you look in the mirror...(well, maybe that's an exaggeration...or maybe not).

Mining of alkaline earth metals | Karunagappally, India

Karunagappalli is a municipality in Kollam district of the Indian state of Kerala, where rare metals are mined. Some of these metals, especially monazite, have become beach sand and alluvial sediments due to erosion. Thanks to this, radiation in some places on the beach reaches 70 mGy/year.

Fort d'Aubervilliers | Paris, France

Radiation tests found quite strong radiation at Fort d'Aubervilliers. Cesium-137 and radium-226 were found in 61 of the tanks stored there. In addition, 60 cubic meters of its territory were also contaminated with radiation.

Acerinox Scrap Metal Processing Plant | Los Barrios, Spain

In this case, the source of cesium-137 was undetected by monitoring devices at the Acherinox scrap metal yard. When melted, the source released a radioactive cloud with radiation levels up to 1,000 times normal. Contamination was later reported in Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland and Austria.

NASA Santa Susana Field Laboratory | Simi Valley, California

Simi Valley, California is home to NASA's Santa Susanna Field Laboratory, and over the years, approximately ten small nuclear reactors have suffered problems due to several fires involving radioactive metals. Cleanup operations are currently underway at this heavily contaminated site.

Mayak plutonium production plant | Muslyumovo, Russia

Because of the Mayak plutonium extraction plant, built in 1948, residents of Muslyumovo in the southern Ural Mountains suffer from the consequences of drinking water contaminated with radiation, which has led to chronic illnesses and physical disabilities.

Church Rock Uranium Mill | Church Rock, New Mexico

During the infamous Church Rock uranium enrichment plant accident, more than a thousand tons of radioactive solid waste and 352,043 cubic meters of acid radioactive waste solution spilled into the Puerco River. As a result, radiation levels increased to 7,000 times normal. A study carried out in 2003 showed that the river's waters are still polluted.

Apartment | Kramatorsk, Ukraine

In 1989, a small capsule containing highly radioactive cesium-137 was discovered inside the concrete wall of a residential building in Kramatorsk, Ukraine. The surface of this capsule had a dose of gamma radiation equal to 1800 R/year. As a result, six people died and 17 were injured.

Brick houses | Yangjiang, China

The urban district of Yangjiang is replete with houses made of sand and clay bricks. Unfortunately, the sand in this region comes from parts of the hills that contain monazite, which breaks down into radium, actinium and radon. The high levels of radiation from these elements explain the high incidence of cancer in the area.

Natural background radiation | Ramsar, Iran

This part of Iran has one of the highest levels of natural background radiation on Earth. Radiation levels at Ramsar reach 250 millisieverts per year.

Radioactive sand | Guarapari, Brazil

Due to erosion of the naturally occurring radioactive element monazite, the sands of Guarapari's beaches are radioactive, with radiation levels reaching 175 millisieverts, a far cry from the acceptable level of 20 millisieverts.

McClure Radioactive Site | Scarborough, Ontario

The McClure radioactive site, a housing development in Scarborough, Ontario, has been a radiation-contaminated site since the 1940s. The contamination was caused by radium recovered from scrap metal that was to be used for experiments.

Subterranean Springs of Paralana | Arkaroola, Australia

The underground springs of Paralana flow through rocks rich in uranium and, according to research, these hot springs have been bringing radioactive radon and uranium to the surface for more than a billion years.

Institute of Radiotherapy of Goiás (Instituto Goiano de Radioterapia) | Goias, Brazil

The radioactive contamination of Goiás, Brazil resulted from a radioactive radiation accident following the theft of a radiation therapy source from an abandoned hospital. Hundreds of thousands of people have died due to the pollution, and even today radiation is still rampant in several areas of Goiás.

Denver Federal Center | Denver, Colorado

The Denver Federal Center has been used as a disposal site for a variety of waste, including chemicals, contaminated materials, and road demolition debris. This waste was transported to various locations, resulting in radioactive contamination of several areas in Denver.

McGuire Air Force Base | Burlington County, New Jersey

In 2007, McGuire Air Force Base was identified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as one of the most polluted air bases in the country. That same year, the US military ordered a cleanup of contaminants at the base, but contamination is still present there.

Hanford Nuclear Reservation Site | Hanford, Washington

An integral part of the American atomic bomb project, the Hanford complex produced plutonium for the atomic bomb that was eventually dropped on Nagasaki, Japan. Although the plutonium stockpile was written off, approximately two-thirds of the volume remained at Hanford, causing groundwater contamination.

In the middle of the sea | Mediterranean Sea

A syndicate controlled by the Italian mafia is believed to be using the Mediterranean Sea as a dumping ground for hazardous radioactive waste. It is believed that around 40 ships carrying toxic and radioactive waste are sailing through the Mediterranean Sea, leaving large amounts of radioactive waste in the oceans.

Coast of Somalia | Mogadishu, Somalia

Some claim that the soil of Somalia's unprotected coast has been used by the mafia to dump nuclear waste and toxic metals, which includes 600 barrels of toxic materials. This, unfortunately, turned out to be true when a tsunami hit the coast in 2004 and rusting barrels buried here several decades ago were discovered.

Production Association "Mayak" | Mayak, Russia

The lighthouse in Russia was for many decades the site of a huge nuclear power plant. It all started in 1957, when approximately 100 tons of radioactive waste were released into the environment in a disaster that resulted in an explosion that contaminated a huge area. However, nothing was reported about this explosion until 1980, when it was discovered that since the 50s, radioactive waste from the power plant had been dumped in the surrounding area, including into Lake Karachay. The contamination exposed more than 400,000 people to high levels of radiation.

Sellafield Power Plant | Sellafield, UK

Before it was converted into a commercial site, Sellafield in the UK was used to produce plutonium for atomic bombs. Today, about two thirds of the buildings that are located in Sellafield are considered radioactively contaminated. This facility releases about eight million liters of contaminated waste every day, polluting the environment and causing deaths for people living nearby.

Siberian Chemical Plant | Siberia, Russia

Just like Mayak, Siberia is also home to one of the largest chemical plants in the world. The Siberian chemical plant produces 125,000 tons of solid waste, polluting the groundwater of the surrounding area. The study also found that wind and rain carry this waste into the wild, causing high mortality rates among wildlife.

Polygon | Semipalatinsk Test Site, Kazakhstan

The test site in Kazakhstan is best known for its atomic bomb project. This deserted place was transformed into a facility where the Soviet Union detonated its first atomic bomb. The test site currently holds the record for the largest concentration of nuclear explosions in the world. Approximately 200 thousand people are currently suffering from the effects of this radiation.

Western Mining and Chemical Plant | Mailuu-Suu, Kyrgyzstan

Mailuu-Suu is considered one of the most polluted places in the world. Unlike other radioactive sites, this site receives its radiation not from nuclear bombs or power plants, but from large-scale uranium mining and processing activities, releasing approximately 1.96 million cubic meters of radioactive waste into the area.

Chernobyl nuclear power plant | Chernobyl, Ukraine

Heavily contaminated with radiation, Chernobyl is the site of one of the world's worst nuclear accidents. Over the years, the radiation disaster at Chernobyl has affected six million people in the area and is predicted to result in an estimated 4,000 to 93,000 deaths. The Chernobyl nuclear disaster released 100 times more radiation into the atmosphere than was released by the nuclear bombs in Nagasaki and Hiroshima.

Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant | Fukushima, Japan

The aftermath of the Fukushima Prefecture earthquake in Japan is said to be the longest-lasting nuclear disaster in the world. The disaster, considered the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl, caused the meltdown of three reactors, leading to a massive radiation leak that was detected 322 kilometers from the power plant.

– josser

Although the 2011 earthquake and worries around Fukushima brought the radiation threat back into the realm public consciousness, many people still do not realize that radioactive contamination is a danger throughout the world.

Radionuclides are among the six most dangerous toxic substances listed in a report published in 2010 by the Blacksmith Institute, a non-governmental organization focused on environmental pollution.
The locations of some of the most radioactive places on the planet may surprise you - as will numerous people living under threat possible consequences radiation for themselves and their children.

10. Hanford, USA

The Hanford complex in Washington state was integral part the US project to develop the first atomic bomb, producing plutonium for it and the “Fat Man” used in Nagasaki. During cold war the complex increased its production volumes, providing plutonium to most of America's 60 thousand nuclear weapons. Despite its decommissioning, it still contains two-thirds of the country's high-level radioactive waste - about 53 million gallons (200 thousand cubic meters) of liquid, 25 million cubic meters. feet (700 thousand cubic meters) solid and 200 sq. miles (518 sq. km) of groundwater contaminated with radiation, making it the most contaminated area in the United States. The destruction of the natural environment in the area makes you realize that the threat of radiation is not something that will come with a missile attack, but something that can lurk in the very heart of your own country.

9. Mediterranean Sea

For years, it has been said that the Italian mafia syndicate 'Ndrangheta used the sea as a convenient place to dump hazardous waste, including radioactive waste, profiting from the provision of related services. According to the assumptions of the Italian non-governmental organization Legambiente, since 1994, about 40 ships loaded with toxic and radioactive waste have disappeared in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. If true, these claims paint an alarming picture of the Mediterranean basin being contaminated by an unknown amount of nuclear material, the true extent of which will become clear when hundreds of barrels are compromised by normal wear and tear or other processes. The beauty of the Mediterranean may well be hiding an unfolding environmental disaster.

8. Coast of Somalia

Since we are talking about this sinister business, the one just mentioned Italian mafia did not limit itself only to its own region. There are also allegations that Somalia's unprotected soils and waters have been used to dump and dump nuclear materials and toxic metals, including 600 barrels of toxic and radioactive waste, as well as medical waste. In fact, the UN Environment Program believes that the rusting drums of waste that washed up on the Somali coast during the 2004 tsunami were dumped into the sea back in the 1990s. The country is already devastated by anarchy, and the impact of waste on its impoverished population may be as devastating (if not worse) than anything they have experienced before.

The Mayak industrial complex in northeast Russia has been a nuclear materials production plant for decades, and in 1957 it became the site of one of the worst nuclear incidents in the world. As a result of the explosion, which resulted in the release of up to one hundred tons of radioactive waste, a vast area was contaminated. The fact of the explosion was kept under cover of secrecy until the eighties. Since the 1950s, waste from the plant has been dumped in the surrounding area, as well as into Lake Karachay. This has led to contamination of the water supply that supplies the daily needs of thousands of people. Experts believe Karachay may be the most radioactive place in the world, and more than 400,000 people have been exposed to radiation from the plant through various serious incidents, including fires and deadly dust storms. The natural beauty of Lake Karachay deceptively hides pollutants that create, where they enter the waters of the lake, a level of radiation sufficient for a person to receive a lethal dose of radiation within an hour.

6. Sellafield, UK

Situated on the west coast of England, Sellafield was originally an atomic bomb manufacturing facility before it became a commercial site. Since the start of its operation, hundreds of emergency situations have occurred on it, and two thirds of its buildings themselves are now considered radioactive waste. The plant dumps around 8 million liters of radioactive waste into the sea every day, making the Irish Sea the most radioactive sea in the world. England is famous for its green fields and rolling landscapes, yet in the heart of this industrialized country sits a toxic, high-accident facility that spews hazardous substances into the world's oceans.

5. Siberian Chemical Plant, Russia

Mayak is not the only dirty place in Russia; There is a chemical industry facility in Siberia that contains more than forty years of nuclear waste. Liquids are stored in open basins, and poorly maintained reservoirs hold more than 125,000 tons of solids, while underground storage is capable of leaking into groundwater. Winds and rains carried the pollution throughout the surrounding area and its wildlife. And many minor accidents led to the loss of plutonium and the explosive spread of radiation. The snow-covered landscape may look pristine and clean, but the facts make clear the true extent of pollution that can be found here.

4. Semipalatinsk test site, Kazakhstan

Once the site of nuclear weapons testing, the area is now part of modern-day Kazakhstan. The site was allocated for the Soviet atomic bomb project due to its "uninhabitable" nature - despite the fact that 700 thousand people lived in the area. The site was where the USSR detonated its first atomic bomb and holds the record as the site with the highest concentration of nuclear explosions in the world, with 456 tests over 40 years from 1949 to 1989. Although testing at the site—and its effects in terms of radiation exposure—was kept secret by the Soviets until its closure in 1991, researchers estimate the radiation harmed the health of 200,000 people. The desire to destroy peoples on the other side of the border led to the specter of nuclear contamination, which hung over the heads of those who were once citizens of the USSR.

In Mailuu-Suu, which a 2006 Blacksmith Institute report ranked as one of the ten most polluted cities on Earth, the radiation comes not from atomic bombs or power plants, but from the mining of materials needed in related technological processes. In this area, uranium mining and processing facilities were located, which are now abandoned along with 36 uranium waste dumps - more than 1.96 million cubic meters. This region is also characterized seismic activity, and any violation of the containment of substances can lead to their contact with the environment or, in the case of release into rivers, contamination of water used by hundreds of thousands of people. These people may never worry about the threat of a nuclear attack, but they still have good reason to live in fear of nuclear fallout whenever the earth shakes.

2. Chernobyl, Ukraine

The site of one of the worst and most inglorious nuclear accidents, Chernobyl is still heavily contaminated, despite the fact that a small number of people are now allowed into the zone for a limited time. The infamous incident exposed 6 million people to radiation, and estimates of the number of deaths that will eventually occur due to the Chernobyl accident range from 4,000 to 93,000. The radiation emissions were a hundred times greater than those that occurred during the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Belarus absorbed 70 percent of the radiation, and its citizens faced unprecedented levels of cancer. Even today, the word “Chernobyl” conjures up horrific images of human suffering.

1. Fukushima, Japan

The 2011 earthquake and tsunami was a tragedy that destroyed lives and homes, but the biggest long-term threat may be the impact nuclear power plant in Fukushima. The worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl caused fuel meltdowns in three of the six reactors and leaked radiation into the surrounding area and into the sea so much that radioactive material was found up to two hundred miles from the plant. Until the accident and its consequences are fully revealed, the true extent of environmental damage remains unknown. The world may still feel the effects of this disaster for generations to come.