STATUS OF ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION EFFORTS SINCE CHERNOBYL DISASTER AND LESSONS LEARNED

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06754317
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: April 23, 2025
• Document Release Date: March 25, 2025
• Case Number: F-2016-02406
• Publication Date: February 2, 1994

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Classified By: Unspecified
Derived From: Unspecified
Declassify On: MR, 20190202
.4sift4F7 SUBJ: STATUS OF ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION
EFFORTS SINCE CHERNOBYL DISASTER AND LESSONS
LEARNED
Identifiers:
Document Number:
Messaging System ID: 94 5366100
Ingestion ID: 14125851
GUIDE: guide://1012/2cxg4j
Dates:
Date Published: 02-Feb-1994 16:30:00
Date Received: 02-Feb-1994 20:54:00
Coverage:
Region: EURASIA, EUROPE, COUNTRY: UKRAINE
Publisher:
#1
Agency Acronym: CIA
Office Name: CIA
#2
Agency Acronym: CIA
Office Name: NCS
Attachments:
14125851.orig
Warnings.:4VVARNING: INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED
INTELLIGENCE REPORT CLASS SECRE T--WNINTEL--NOFORN DIST: 2 FEBRUARY 199,(b)(1)
COUNTRY: UKRAINE/RUSSIA/BELARUS SUBJ: STATUS OF ENVIRONMENTAL (b)(3)
REMEDIATION EFFORTS SINCE CHERNOBYL DISASTER AND LESSONS LEARNED
SUMMARY: ALTHOUGH GENERAL
POLLUTION CONTROL STANDARDS ARE HIGHER IN THE WEST, SCIENTISTS IN UKRAINE,
RUSSIA, AND BELARUS ARE FURTHER AHEAD IN UNDERSTANDING THE EFFECTS OF
AND THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO A MAJOR NUCLEAR ACCIDENT. THE SCALE OF
CONTAMINATION FROM CHERNOBYL, TOGETHER WITH THE LACK OF RESOURCES,
COORDINATION, AND EDUCATION, HAS FORCED EACH COUNTRY TO FOCUS ON
MITIGATING THE RADIATION EFFECTS ON CRITICAL FOOD SUPPLIES RATHER THAN ON
ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION. AS A RESULT, PROGRESS TO DATE HAS BEEN LIMITED,
AND OFFICIALS OF THE FORMER SOVIET UNION CONTINUE TO LOOK TO THE WEST FOR
ASSISTANCE, PARTICULARLY WITH RESPECT TO MODERN EQUIPMENT FOR
RADIOLOGICAL SCREENING.
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PASS: NSA FOR ZKZK 00 DLS DE (FOR NSOC).
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WARNING: INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE
REPORT CLASS SECRE T--WNINTEL--NOFORN
DIST: 2 FEBRUARY 1994
COUNTRY: UKRAINE/RUSSIA/BELARUS
SUBJ: STATUS OF ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION EFFORTS SINCE
CHERNOBYL DISASTER AND LESSONS LEARNED
DOI:
SOURCE/
SUMMARY: ALTHOUGH GENERAL POLLUTION CONTROL STANDARDS ARE HIGHER
IN THE WEST, SCIENTISTS IN�UKRAINE, RUSSIA, AND BELARUS ARE
FURTHER AHEAD IN UNDERSTANDING THE EFFECTS OF AND THE APPROPRIATE
RESPONSE TO A MAJOR NUCLEAR ACCIDENT. THE SCALE OF CONTAMINATION
FROM CHERNOBYL, TOGETHER WITH THE LACK OF RESOURCES, COORDINATION,
AND EDUCATION, HAS FORCED EACH COUNTRY TO FOCUS ON MITIGATING THE
RADIATION EFFECTS ON CRITICAL FOOD SUPPLIES RATHER THAN ON
ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION. AS A RESULT, PROGRESS TO DATE HAS BEEN
LIMITED, AND OFFICIALS OF THE FORMER SOVIET UNION CONTINUE TO LOOK
TO THE WEST FOR ASSISTANCE, PARTICULARLY WITH RESPECT TO MODERN
EQUIPMENT FOR RADIOLOGICAL SCREENING.
TEXT: 1. GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND SCIENTISTS IN UKRAINE,
BELARUS, AND RUSSIA HAVE LEARNED MUCH ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL,
AGRICULTURAL, AND HEALTH EFFECTS OF RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION AS A
RESULT OF THE 1986 CHERNOBYL DISASTER. UKRAINE SUFFERED
SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER DAMAGE IN THE VICINITY OF CHERNOBYL;
HOWEVER, BELARUS CLAIMS THE LARGEST CONTINUING ECONOMIC IMPACT.
MOST OF THE CONTAMINATION IN RUSSIA IS LIMITED TO THE KALUGA
REGION, AND THAT AREA IS HIGHLY CONTAMINATED. THE ADJACENT
VORONEZH REGION ALSO HAS CONTAMINATION FROM CHERNOBYL, AS WELL AS
HEAVY METAL CONTAMINATION FROM INDUSTRIAL SOURCES.
2.
THE EFFECTIVE CONTROL OF VAST
AREAS IS IMPRACTICAL BECAUSE GOVERNMENTS CANNOT AFFORD TO LET
VALUABLE FARMLAND LIE IDLE. IN UKRAINE, FOR EXAMPLE, FOUR MILLION
HECTARES OF LAND ARE PRESENTLY BEING WORKED DESPITE RELATIVELY
HIGH CONTAMINATION LEVELS. MOREOVER, THE LARGE NUMBER OF
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UNEDUCATED AND UNTRUSTING PEASANTS REVERTING BACK TO THEIR
AGRICULTURAL LIFESTYLE AND THEIR PEDDLING OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
THROUGHOUT THE REGION MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO PHYSICALLY LIMIT
ACCESS TO THE REGION. THE PICKING OF WILD MUSHROOMS IS STILL A
PERSISTENT CUSTOM, ALTHOUGH SCIENTISTS HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THESE
FUNGI ARE AMONG THE MOST EFFICIENT ABSORBERS OF CONTAMINATION.
ONLY IN THE COMPARATIVELY SMALL CHELYABINSK REGION HAS THE
RADIOACTIVE AREA BEEN SATISFACTORILY ISOLATED AND AGRICULTURAL
ACTIVITIES PROHIBITED COMMENT: ALTHOUGH UKRAINIAN (b)(1)
OFFICIALS DENY THAT FOOD GROWN INSIDE CONTAMINATED REGIONS WAS (b)(3)
ALLOWED TO BE SOLD OUTSIDE, MANY VEHICLES CARRYING PRODUCE WERE
OBSERVED ON ROADS LEADING OUT OF THE AREA.)
3. IN OTHER AREAS WHERE CONTAMINATION HAS BEEN NOTED,
GOVERNMENTS HAVE CHOSEN TO PURSUE THE PROCESS OF TEACHING FARMERS
HOW TO GROW SAFE FOOD WHILE AT THE SAME TIME MONITORING FOOD,
LIVESTOCK, AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENTS THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY FOR
CONTROL PURPOSES. SCIENTISTS HAVE LEARNED A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THE
MANAGEMENT OF CONTAMINATED LAND AND THE CONTROL OF CONTAMINATE
UPTAKE THROUGH SOIL CHEMISTRY AND SPECIES SELECTION. THEY ARE
ATTEMPTING TO CONTROL UPTAKE RATES USING LIME, WATER, AND
FERTILIZER. ACCORDING TO SCIENTISTS AT RUSSIA'S INSTITUTE FOR
AGRICULTURAL RADIOLOGY, THE INSTITUTE'S KNOWLEDGE OF UPTAKE RATE
BY SPECIES IS EXTENSIVE AND, IN CONJUNCTION WITH SOIL NUTRITION
AND WATER, IS IMPORTANT FOR BIOREMEDIATION EFFORTS. IN ADDITION
TO MUSHROOMS, LUPINES, AMARANT, BEET ROOT, AND CRANBERRIES HAVE
BEEN IDENTIFIED AS HIGHLY ABSORBENT, WHILE FLAX STEM HAS EXHIBITED
A LOW RATE OF UPTAKE.
4.
PLANTS MAY
REQUIRE 100 YEARS TO REMOVE SOIL CONTAMINANTS BY THEMSELVES.
THUS, SCIENTISTS ARE LOOKING FOR METHODS OF PROCESSING THAT CAN
PRODUCE SAFE FOODS FROM CONTAMINATED AREAS. IN UKRAINE, A
.SIGNIFICANT EFFORT IS BEING MADE TO DEVELOP NEW MECHANIZED
TECHNIQUES AND CROPS WHICH MAY BE TENDED AND HARVESTED WITH
MINIMAL WORKER EXPOSURE AND MIGRATION OF RADIONUCLIDES. ACCORDING
TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE IN KORYSTEEN, A
BREAKPOINT OF 15 Cl/KM2 FOR CESIUM IS THE MAXIMUM SAFE LEVEL FOR
PRODUCTION OF ACCEPTABLE CROPS BY PRESENT TECHNIQUES. THE USE OF
POTASSIUM-BASED FERTILIZERS, LIMING, DEEP PLOWING (WHERE
POSSIBLE), AND THE USE OF UNCONTAMINATED FODDER FOR MEAT CATTLE
AND BUTTER PRODUCTION SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE DEGREE OF CESIUM
CONTAMINATION. SUCH MEASURES MUST BE CONTINUED INDEFINITELY,
HOWEVER, BECAUSE PLANTS BEGIN TAKING UP RADIATION AGAIN WHEN
TREATMENTS ARE STOPPED.
5. SCIENTISTS IN ALL THREE COUNTRIES IDENTIFY RAPID FIELD
SCREENING TECHNIQUES AND EQUIPMENT AS THEIR GREATEST NEEDS;
CESIUM, STRONTIUM, AND HEAVY METAL CONTAMINATION ARE THEIR MOST
COMMON CONCERNS. THEY REQUIRE ACCURATE MEASUREMENTS OF SOILS AND
WATER AS WELL AS SCREENING OF FOOD AND FEED FOR LIVESTOCK.
OFFICIALS HIGHLIGHTED THEIR NEED FOR GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
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SYSTEMS IN ORDER TO OBTAIN RELEVANT AND ACCURATE MAP INFORMATION
ON THE IMMENSE AREAS INVOLVED.
6.
PROTECTION OF THE
POPULATION FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF CHERNOBYL, CONTINUED
MONITORING IS NECESSARY BECAUSE OF THE SPREAD OF SR-90
CONTAMINATION RESULTING FROM RECENT FLOODING OF THE PRIPYAT AND
OTHER RIVERS. IN FACT, THE LEVEL OF SR-90 CONTAMINATION IN RIVERS
HAS RISEN RATHER THAN FALLEN IN THE YEARS FOLLOWING THE DISASTER
BECAUSE OF CONTINUING RUNOFF FROM THE SURROUNDING LAND. PRISTER
AND OTHER OFFICIALS WERE RELUCTANT TO DISCUSS CURRENT ACTIVITIES
AT THE CHERNOBYL REACTOR SITE, CLAIMING THAT THIS INFORMATION IS A
STATE SECRET.
7. THE EXTENT OF THE SCREENING AND MONITORING TASK HAS
RAISED INTEREST IN MOBILE LABS.
RUSSIA HAS DEPLOYED MOBILE
LABS, BUT THE EQUIPMENT IT HAS IS OLD, AND ITS PRIMARY VEHICLE IS
TOO LARGE FOR COUNTRY ROADS. RUSSIAN AND UKRAINIAN OFFICIALS WANT
THREE MOBILE TESING LABS OF THE KIND CONFIGURED BY THE U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY'S AMES LAB. RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF AGRICULTURAL
SCIENCE OFFICIALS PLAN TO EQUIP A TRAIN WHICH WILL BE BASED IN
MOSCOW. IT WILL HAVE CARS DEVOTED TO RADIONUCLIDE MEASUREMENTS,
BIOMONITORING, COMPUTERS, COMMUNICATIONS, AND PERSONNEL QUARTERS.
ACCORDING TO PROFESSOR GRIGORIY ((BARENBOYM)), DIRECTOR OF THE
RUSSIAN BRANCH OF THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER OF SCIENTIFIC CULTURE,
THIS CONCEPT IS BEING TESTED NEAR KALUGA IN THE VORONEZH REGION.
8. BELARUS, WHICH SUPPORTS ITS AGRICULTURE-RELATED LABS
SOMEWHAT BETTER THAN THE OTHER COUNTRIES, HAS INDICATED A DESIRE
FOR SIMILAR U.S. AID. BELARUSSIAN STANDARDS FOR OCCUPATION IN
AFFECTED AREAS AND FOR CONTAMINATION IN FOOD ARE MORE CONSERVATIVE
THAN UKRAINE'S.
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
EVACUATION WAS MANDATORY IN AREAS WITH GREATER THAN 40 (b)(1)
Cl/KM2 OF CESIUM, AND NO AGRICULTURE IS PERMITTED IN AREAS WITH (b)(3)
MORE THAN 0.1 Cl/KM2 OF PLUTONIUM.
9. ONE OF THE IDEAS EXPRESSED BY THE SCIENTISTS WAS THE
USE OF MOBILE LABS FOR FOOD MONITORING.
SCIENTISTS WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO
DRIVE INTO A VILLAGE AND ASK RESIDENTS TO BRING THEIR HOME-GROWN
PRODUCE TO A TRAILER WHERE THEY WOULD HAVE TO WAIT ONLY A FEW
MINUTES FOR THE RESULTS. HE ADMITS THAT GAINING POPULAR TRUST FOR
THE WORDS AND DEEDS OF THE GOVERNMENT FOLLOWING THE DISASTER AND
SUBSEQUENT EVENTS IS IMPORTANT.
10. AGGRAVATING EFFORTS TO ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS ARE THE
SEVERE SHORTFALLS IN FUNDING (AND THEREFORE IN PERSONNEL AND
EQUIPMENT) AVAILABLE TO AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE INSTITUTES TASKED
WITH STUDYING THE PROBLEM. SALARIES ARE LOW, FORCING MANY EXPERTS
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TO PURSUE OTHER EMPLOYMENT. MOST YOUNG SCIENTISTS WILL NOT
VOLUNTEER FOR DUTY WITHIN CONTAMINATED AREAS DESPITE PROFITABLE
INCENTIVES. LABORATORY EQUIPMENT RESEMBLES EAST GERMAN MODELS OF
THE 1950'S. BUDGETS DO NOT ALLOW FOR TRAVEL. AS A RESULT,
INSTITUTE OFFICIALS ARE ANXIOUS FOR COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS IN
WHICH THEY COULD SUPPLY EXPERIENCED STAFF, BUT WESTERN COUNTRIES
WOULD HAVE TO SUPPLY ALL THE CASH.
11. IN UKRAINE, FOR EXAMPLE, 32 SEPARATE INSTITUTES ARE
INVOLVED IN MONITORING AND REMEDIATION OF THESE PROBLEMS, BUT
THEIR EFFORT IS NOT COORDINATED, AND THEY HAVE MADE LITTLE
IMPROVEMENT. COMMENT: IT IS UNLIKELY THAT ALL (b)(1)
EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FOR COOPERATIVE WORK STEM FROM A COMMON, (b)(3)
DEEP-SEATED CONCERN FOR ENVIRONMENT AND AGRICULTURE. SCIENTISTS IN
ALL THREE COUNTRIES APPEARED SINCERE AND STRESSED VIABLE, WORTHY
AGENDAS, BUT SURVIVAL INSTINCTS ARE RUNNING HIGH. GIVEN A BETTER
ECONOMIC SITUATION, ONE MIGHT QUESTION WHETHER THEY WOULD HAVE
PROPOSED EXACTLY THE SAME PROJECTS.)
12. REGARDING THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF CONTAMINATION, KIEV'S
INSTITUTE OF RADIOLOGY, WHICH HAS DONE ONLY CHERNOBYL-RELATED WORK
SINCE 1986, IS PRIMARILY INTERESTED IN THE MEASUREMENT OF
BIOAVAILABLE CESIUM, NOT MEASUREMENTS OF RADIATION INTENSITY.
COW'S MILK IS PERHAPS THE BEST MONITORING
SYSTEM FOR BIOAVAILABLE RADIATION. IT IS SIMPLE, READILY
AVAILABLE, INEXPENSIVE, AND FAST ENOUGH FOR LONG-RANGE MONITORING.
THE INSTITUTE'S STUDIES HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT THE DEGREE OF
BIOAVAILABILITY IS A FUNCTION OF SOIL AND WATER CHARACTERISTICS
AND PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL FORMS OF THE FALLOUT. AROUND CHERNOBYL,
FALLOUT TOOK TWO FORMS: A CONDENSED FORM WHICH IS SIMILAR TO
GLOBAL FALLOUT THAT RESULTS FROM WEAPONS TESTING AND IS WELL
UNDERSTOOD, AND A FUEL COMPONENT WHICH CONTAINS HOT PARTICLES WITH
TRUE CONTAMINATION UNIQUE TO THE CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT.
13. SOFTWARE WHICH COMPUTES THE
HEALTH EFFECTS RESULTING FROM RADIATION DOSES IS BASED ON A MODEL
DEVELOPED AT CHELYABINSK. THIS MODEL INCORPORATES STUDIES OF
TERRAIN AND SOIL TYPES AND ALLOWS FOR DIFFERENT RELEASE LEVELS OF
DIFFERENT ELEMENTS AND ISOTOPES UNDER A VARIETY OF METEOROLOGICAL
CONDITIONS. COMMENT: THIS WOULD BE A DIFFICULT AND
INEXACT ART. CHELYABINSK PROBABLY REFERS TO THE 1957 ACCIDENT AT
THE MAYAK FACILITY AS WELL AS HEAVY METAL CONTAMINATION RESULTING
FROM INDUSTRY AND MINERAL REFINING THERE. NO FURTHER INFORMATION
WAS OFFERED AS TO THE VALIDATION OF THIS MODEL.)
14. THE INSTITUTE OF RADIOBIOLOGY IN MINSK IS STUDYING
CARDIOVASCULAR EFFECTS DUE TO LOW-LEVEL RADIATION, THYROID CANCER,
STEROID AND HORMONAL EFFECTS, AND AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS.
THESE HAVE BEEN
PREVALENT IN VICTIMS OF THE CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT. SIGNIFICANT
MEMBRANE DAMAGE HAS ALSO BEEN OBSERVED.
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WARNING: REPORT CLASS SECRE T--WARNING NOTICE--INTELLIGENCE
SOURCES OR METHODS INVOLVED--NOT RELEASABLE TO FOREIGN NATIONALS.
DECL: ALL
PORTIONS CARRY CLASSIFICATION AND CONTROLS OF OVERALL DOCUMENT.
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RELNO: E009907
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Collection: CC
Creator:
#1
Agency Acronym: CIA
Office Name: CIA
#2
Agency Acronym: CIA
Office Name: NCS
Description: (S//NF) None
Language: eng
Precedence: R
Source:
Source #1
Attributions: CIA
Source #2
Subject: --
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