As a result of Chornobyl catastrophe majority of the territory of Ukraine has been radioactively contaminated. Population of separate northern areas has received and continues to receive significant doses of extra ionizing irradiation caused by consequences of Chornobyl catastrophe. Ukrainian legislation envisages social protection of population suffered as a result of the accident. Laws of Ukraine "On Status and Social Protection of Population Suffered from Chornobyl Catastrophe” [30] and “On legal regime of radioactively contaminated territory as a result of Chornobyl catastrophe" [36] are determinative in this regard.
In the Law [30] emphasizes that “Chornobyl catastrophe had the influence on the life of millions of people. New social and economical conditions have been developed in region. Ukraine has been declared an ecological disaster zone. Establishment of the system of reliable protection from the consequences of Chornobyl catastrophe require allocation of significant financial, material and intellectual resources”. The maps presenting social and economical problems caused by Chornobyl catastrophe are presented in this section of the Atlas.
In accordance with the Article 2 of the Law [30] Ukraine has the territories attributed as zones of radioactive contamination:
Depending on landscape and geochemical features of soils, excess of natural pre-catastrophe level of radionuclides accumulation in environment, levels of possible negative influence on health of population connected with them, requirements regarding radioactive protection of population and other social measures, taking into consideration general production and social everyday relations the territory affected by radionuclide contamination as a result of Chornobyl catastrophe is divided into zones. These zones are:
1) exclusion zone is the territory where evacuation of population has been carried out in 1986;
2) compulsory relocation zone is the territory intensively contaminated by long-lived radionuclides with soil contamination density exceeding levels before the accident by cesium isotopes from 15.0 ʳ/km2 and more, or by strontium from 3.0 Ki/km2 and more, or by plutonium from 0.1 Ki/km2 and more, where calculated effective equivalent irradiation dose of people taking into account coefficients of migration of radionuclides to plants and other factors can exceed 5.0 mSv (0.5 rem) per year over the dose, that they would receive before the accident;
3) Guaranteed voluntary relocation zone is the territory with soil contamination density exceeding levels before the accident by cesium isotopes from 5.0 ʳ/êm2 to 15.0 ʳ/km2, or by strontium from 0.15 to 3.0 Ki/km2, or by plutonium from 0.01 to 0.1 Ki/km2, where calculated effective equivalent irradiation dose of people taking into account coefficients of migration of radionuclides to plants and other factors can exceed 1.0 mSv (0.1 rem) per year over the dose, that they would receive before the accident;
4) Zone of thorough radioecological control is the territory with soil contamination density exceeding levels before the accident by cesium isotopes from 1.0 ʳ/êm2 to 5.0 ʳ/km2, or by strontium from 0.02 to 0.15 Ki/km2, or by plutonium from 0.005 to 0.01 Ki/km2, where calculated effective equivalent irradiation dose of people taking into account coefficients of migration of radionuclides to plants and other factors can exceed 0.5 mSv (0.05 rem) per year over the dose, that they would receive before the accident (second part of Article 2 in edition of the Law ¹2532-12 of 01.07.92)”.
List of settlements enrolled in contamination zones is determined by a series of legislative acts of Ukraine [37, 42, 43, 44]. Altogether 2 293 settlements having population 2,155.1 thousand people including 460.6 thousand children under 17 are enrolled in contaminated zones. Area of the territory of contaminated zones is 52.9 thousand km2, including 24.7 thousand km2 of forests.
In accordance with Article 2 of the Law [36] the main criteria of enrolling the settlements to respective zone has to be a calculated effective equivalent irradiation dose of people. In 1991 at the time of approval of the decree of the Council of Ministers of Ukrainian SSR [37] comprehensive dosimetric passportization of settlements on the radioactively contaminated territories had not been finished. Therefore almost 1300 settlements have been enrolled in respective contaminated zones by soil contamination levels. Zoning map of the territory of Ukraine according to actual legislation is presented on
.
After completion of dosimetric passportization carried out during subsequent years it has been found that contamination levels and values of passport doses give different results and it can be easily determined comparing the maps of contamination (see section I) and dosimentric maps (see section II). It is explained by the fact that for the prevailing part of contaminated territories the present landscape and geochemical conditions determine relatively insignificant coefficients of transition of radionuclides to food and further intake by human body. If dose criterion is used as a basis then content and boundaries of zones can be significantly changed. The map with the draft zone boundaries by dose criterion is presented on
.
Comparative characteristics of actual contaminated zones and contaminated zones by dose criterion are presented in table 3.1.
Table 3.1. - Comparative characteristics of contaminated zones (actual and according to zoning by dose criterion)
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1)As of January 1, 2007.
Social protection of population suffered as a result of Chornobyl catastrophe is a priority of state policy in overcoming the consequences of Chornobyl catastrophe. According to actual legislation of Ukraine people suffered as a result of Chornobyl catastrophe get about 50 types of assistance, benefits and compensations. In accordance with the Law [20] suffered population is grouped on participants of liquidation of accident at Chornobyl NPP, people suffered as a result of Chornobyl catastrophe, children considered as those who suffered as a result of Chornobyl catastrophe and persons not enrolled in these categories but having the right on benefits according to Article 24 of the Law [30]. Benefits will be provided to families in connection with the loss of a breadwinner in case if this death is connected with Chornobyl catastrophe. According to data of State Statistics Committee of Ukraine and Ministry of Ukraine of Emergencies and Affairs of Population Protection from the Consequences of Chornobyl Catastrophe [38, 39] size of suffered population in Ukraine as of January 1, 2007 was 2 526 2 thousands, including liquidators – 297.85 thousands, suffered – 1 636.3 thousands, children – 589.45 thousands, suffered but not enrolled in the categories – 2.59 thousands, families getting benefits in connection with the loss of a breadwinner – 20 89 thousands. Map showing distribution of suffered population by regions of Ukraine is presented on
Total expenses related with liquidation of the accident at Chornobyl NPP and losses connected with the accident are being increased every year. Complexity of these determinations is related to the fact that the main activities aimed at liquidation of accident consequence have been carried out at times of USSR and first years of independence of Ukraine during economical recession and significant inflation processes. As compared to the first years after the accident when the majority of financial means have been spent on capital construction the share of funds allocated for social protection of population during the last years has been significantly increased and share of costs for social protection forms about 85% (table 3.2). Largest part of expenditures is aimed at financing in the frame of the articles "compensation payment and benefits providing” and “providing of benefits for pension provision and assistance”. According to calculations financing of social protection activities in line with all articles of the Law would require more than 60 billion hryvnyas. Execution of plan of 2007 was about 100% (in 1998 - 53.8%, in 1999 - 92.2%).
Table 3.2. - expense items of the State budget of Ukraine aimed at liquidation of consequences of Chornobyl catastrophe in 2001 - 2010 [40].
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Notes:
1. * - assignment to Pension fund in accordance with the Law of Ukraine “On State Budget of Ukraine for 2011” are not split on separate programs, including – share for pension provision of per sons suffered as a result of Chornobyl catastrophe, is not eanmarked [40];
2. ** - additional funding at the expense of special fund of State budget of Ukraine, charge for the RAW;
3. *** - not accounting for expenses on pension provision of persons suffered as a result of Chornobyl catastrophe and expenses of special fund of State budget of Ukraine.
As a result of contamination of environment by radionuclides of Chornobyl discharge significant part of the territory of Ukraine became uninhabitable. Inhabitants from settlements enrolled in the exclusion zone of radioactive contamination have been evacuated completely, and 2nd zones of radioactive contamination – have been resettled mostly. Map on
presents distribution of total amount of resettled people and locations of compact relocation of suffered people in rural area. Data from [41] have been used during preparation of this map.
Maps of the section have been developed by the following group of authors: L.Ya. Tabachnyi, S.V. Davydchuk, V.I. Reshetnyk, O.R. Savchuk, G.Ye. Sotnikova.