Nuclear disaster: three main consequences

Academic English 088
April 04 2011
Nuclear disaster: Three Main Consequences

Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia defines a nuclear power plant as an industrial facility used for generatingelectricity from nuclear energy (“Nuclear power”). The world map of nuclear power International Energy Agency (IAEA) United Nations, to March 10, 2011, shows that there are 442 reactors operating over 29countries. The leader is the United States with 104 plants, while Japan has 54 currently in operation, plus two under construction (“The world map..”). Nuclear power is controversial and as a resultthere is an ongoing debate about the use of nuclear energy. Many people think that some serious nuclear and radiations accidents could occur. Those accidents could be result of many factor, such thefacilities condition, human errors, or natural disasters. A nuclear and radiation accident is defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency as, “an event that has led to significant consequences topeople, the environment or the facility”. “Examples include lethal effects to individuals, large radioactivity release to the environment, or reactor core melt”(“The world map…”). The purpose of thisessay is to discuss three main effects that a nuclear disaster can produce, such as environmental pollution, illnesses, and death.

Nuclear energy has been serving man as long as he has existed(Asinov 5), but if a nuclear accident occurred, nuclear energy would not serve man anymore; it would hurt or destroy the human race. Radioactive materials would be released into the atmosphere andconsequently severe environmental damage is caused. Agricultural regions would be contaminated and their products would not good to eat. As result of this contamination, soil would be affected; therefore,anything that grows in it is affected as well. Then water, as we know, all life depends of water and if it was contaminate, would be the end of earth. When radioactive gases and particles are...