Decades after the nuclear disaster, land in Chornobyl is recognised as suitable for farming

A new study shows that agricultural land in the Chornobyl zone has now been recognised as suitable for farming decades after the nuclear disaster.

The effective radiation dose to agricultural workers has been determined to be significantly lower than the national safety threshold in Ukraine. This is stated in the results of an observation by the Journal of Environmental Radioactivity.

Ukrainian farmland, which was abandoned after the 1986 Chornobyl nuclear disaster, can now be used for its intended purpose of farming again, according to a new study.

After the Chernobyl accident, large areas of northern Ukraine were deemed too dangerous for farming. The 4,200-square-kilometre Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, which surrounds the nuclear power plant, remains uninhabited to this day. It is one of the largest nature reserves in Europe.

Thousands of people continue to live in the mandatory resettlement zone, which covers 2,000 square kilometres. The area has never been completely abandoned. In the years since the large-scale disaster, radiation levels in the region have decreased significantly due to radioactive decay and the corresponding erosion of surface soils. However, abandoned land has not been reclassified since the introduction of zoning criteria in 1991.

Some farmers in the region have taken the situation into their own hands in recent years and started sparse agricultural production. The study confirms that crops can be safely grown on most of the land.

Experts assessed about 100 hectares of land in the Zhytomyr region for contamination and predicted the absorption of radioactive substances. The process can take place thanks to common crops such as potatoes, corn, cereals and sunflower.

Chornobyl zone – what is the radiation level

Experts analysed soil samples and measured external gamma radiation. The results confirmed that the effective radiation dose to agricultural workers was determined at a level significantly lower than the safety threshold established in Ukraine.

The researchers noted that the radiation level was significantly lower than the natural background radiation recorded around the world
This means that, subject to Ukrainian food safety regulations and proper monitoring, a significant number of crops can be safely grown in these previously banned areas.

Jim Smith from the University of Portsmouth said that since 1986, misinformation about the radiation risks of Chornobyl has been widespread, which has had a negative impact on Ukrainians who still live in the affected areas.

‘This study is important for the communities affected by the Chornobyl disaster,’ he explained.

A new study has published a scientific approach to the appropriate assessment and return of valuable agricultural land to production.

‘This is not just about Chornobyl. It’s about applying science and evidence to ensure that people are protected and that land is not wasted,’ said Smith.

‘The methods developed here can be applied to other radioactively contaminated sites that are being identified around the world.

As a reminder, on the night of 26 April 1986, a powerful explosion was recorded at the fourth power unit of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which caused the destruction of part of the reactor unit and the turbine hall.