THE CITY IS DEAD, ITS GHOST WALKS AWAY
The impact of what happened in Chernobyl, one of the greatest disasters in world history, still continues. An area of approximately 4 thousand square kilometers has been abandoned since the explosion. The city of Pripyat turned into a “ghost city”.
Agriculture is also prohibited in the area where radioactive pollution is located. Finally, it was announced that Russian soldiers digging trenches in the forest around Chernobyl suffered from radiation sickness last year.
THEY DISTRIBUTED THE RADIATION FOR FREE
The consequences of the disaster were felt greatly in Turkey as well. Cancer cases have exploded, especially in the Black Sea region. While the politicians of the period were making tea by praising radiation, there was no house, street or neighborhood where cancer cases were not seen over the years. The political power of the period, which did not think of distributing iodine tablets or making the necessary warnings to the public, found the solution by distributing hazelnuts that could not be exported to students. Today’s heirs of yesterday’s radiation lovers are building a nuclear power plant in Akkuyu. New power plants are planned in Sinop and İğneada.
For years, experts have stated that the Russian nuclear power plant is expensive, will increase foreign dependency, and that the waste problem cannot be solved, and the risks it will create. What awaits us in the event of the slightest accident in a power plant that is far from public inspection, where many accidents and worker deaths have occurred even during the construction phase?
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS WARNED
Professional organizations have carried out various studies over the years to take steps regarding the accident scenarios of the AKP government, which is a lover of nuclear power plants.
Turkish Medical Association Public Health Branch drew attention to many deficiencies and risks awaiting thousands of people in the EIA Report Evaluation of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant Project in 2015. The evaluation report states that “A nuclear leak that may occur in Akkuyu will affect the entire Mediterranean within a few days.” “Since such a nuclear leak will also affect other countries, it will be mandatory for Turkey to notify it within the scope of the International Health Regulations.” “Türkiye will be found guilty regarding the influence of other countries, and possible compensation may come to the fore,” it said.
ITS EFFECT ON CANCER HAS BEEN IGNORED
The genetic effects of radiation were mentioned in the Akkuyu NPP EIA Report, but the information given was incomplete and misleading, and the evaluation said, “There is no information about the cancer effect of radiation in the report.” However, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies ionizing radiation as Group I carcinogenic, that is, proven to be definite carcinogenic to humans. It is known that radiation causes leukemia, breast and thyroid cancer. However, these impacts were never mentioned in the EIA Report and no assessment was made regarding these risks.”
The Chamber of Environmental Engineers, in its research conducted in the past years, revealed that in the event of an accident at the nuclear power plants to be built in Sinop and Mersin, places within 300 kilometers of it would also be affected. In case of an accident in Sinop, Ankara, Samsun, and Istanbul are also at risk of being affected.
It is stated that Kıyıköy in Kırklareli will be one of the most risky areas as it is located in the region where approximately 20 million people live and the population density is highest.
If there is an accident in Akkuyu, it is estimated that Konya, as well as the entire Mediterranean Region, will be affected.
FIRST TARGET IN WARS
Nuclear power plants are targets because of the major environmental and health problems they will cause, as well as the accidents that may occur. The conflict at the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant once again showed that nuclear power plants, apart from the risk of accidents, can be targets in wars. There are many studies showing that nuclear power plants can be targets of terrorist attacks. Along with all environmental risks of power plants, security risks are also discussed.
Finally, at the beginning of the month, 3 people were injured as a result of attacks with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) on the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant. In the written statement made by the Russian State Nuclear Energy Corporation Rosatom, it was stated that “unprecedented” intensity of UAV attacks were carried out on the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant in the morning hours. Rosatom also owns the nuclear power plant built in Akkuyu.
