Chernobyl To Be Covered In Steel

[bishoujo 0]

Posted from BBC News:
The authorities in Ukraine have approved a giant steel cover for the radioactive site of the world's worst nuclear disaster - Chernobyl.

Ukraine has hired a French firm to build the structure to replace the crumbling concrete casing put over the reactor after the 1986 accident.

The casing project is expected to cost $1.4bn (Ł700m).

It will take five years to complete and the authorities say they will then be able to start dismantling the reactor.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko hailed the project:

"Today is probably the first time that we can openly look into the eyes of the national and international community and say that a solution to the problem that has long been called the Chernobyl problem was formally found," he said.

This sure took pretty long eh? Even in secondary school, I was already learning about how different types of metal can shield different levels of radiation, so I wonder why it took them 20 years to decide to use steel to cover the site of the Chernobyl disaster. Could be money issue, but still, strong radioactivity is very serious. Anyway, glad that something is finally being done about it.
Edited September 18, 2007 by bishoujo (see edit history)

[abminara 0]

That makes 0 sense. A cup-shaped steel "roof" will still emit radiation to some extent. Plus most of Uranium (about 182 tons) is burien underground in a huge cement sarcofague. Half-life decay time for Uranium is 22000 years. Do you seriously think that any man-made building could stand that long? Plus by that time there probably will be at least one nuclear war, which makes no difference, if radiation is coming from the bomb remains, or a lot of radioactive materials (Plutonium, Cesium, Uranium) buried under the ground.Plus if they are willing to build that cover - it should also go pretty deep under the ground, as that is also being affected by excessive amounts of radiation.

[mabhishekjhawar 0]

huh ? wen i was studying about radioactive protection i was told tat concrete is the best one, why waste so much money on steel and only raise the pricess in the market ( lol..i m only skeptical)..if the concrte is tumbling , why not cover it it a few mopre hard layers of some more concrete , it would take half the cost of the project..

[FLaKes 0]

I really dont know about steel or concrete blocking radiation, but I suppose it will be very hard for the people that will work on this project. I bet lots of safety precautions will need to be taken so that the workers dont get irradiated.