Program Presentations No. 42 – Chernobyl at Twenty (2006)

On the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl accident, the 2006 NCRP Annual Meeting provided a comprehensive retrospective review and analysis of the effects of the Chernobyl nuclear accident on human health and the environment. Topics that were discussed by international experts included: 1. the initial release, distribution and migration of radioactivity from Chernobyl; 2. efforts to cleanup, contain and dispose of radionuclides released by the accident; 3. health effects observed in emergency responders and cleanup workers; 4. exposures and health effects among populations living close to, and distant from, the Chernobyl reactor site; 5. lessons learned from the Chernobyl accident, including improved nuclear safety procedures, better preparedness for future nuclear accidents, and more effective management and mitigation of human health consequences of such events; and 6. international perspectives on the future use of nuclear technology and nuclear power in comparison with other power sources.