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Most radioactive. The most radiation places on the planet

– josser

Although the 2011 earthquake and the Fukushima worries brought the radiation threat back into the public consciousness, many people still do not realize that radioactive contamination is a danger around the world.

Radionuclides are among the six most dangerous toxic substances listed in a report published in 2010 by the Blacksmith Institute, a non-governmental organization dedicated to environmental pollution.
The location of some of the most radioactive places on the planet may surprise you - as well as the many people living under the threat of the possible effects of radiation on themselves and their children.

10. Hanford, USA

The Hanford complex in Washington State was part of the US project to develop the first atomic bomb, fabricating plutonium for it and the Fat Man used in Nagasaki. During the Cold War, the complex ramped up production, providing plutonium for most of America's 60,000 nuclear weapons. Despite decommissioning, it still contains two-thirds of the country's high-level radioactive waste - about 53 million gallons (200 thousand cubic meters; hereinafter - approx. mixednews) liquid, 25 million cubic meters. feet (700 thousand cubic meters) solid and 200 sq. m. miles (518 sq. km) of groundwater contaminated with radiation, making it the most polluted area in the US. The destruction of the natural environment in this area makes one realize that the threat of radiation is not something that will come with a missile attack, but something that can lurk in the very heart of your own country.

9. Mediterranean Sea

For years, there have been rumors that the 'Ndrangheta syndicate of the Italian mafia used the sea as a convenient place to dump hazardous waste, including radioactive, cashing in on the provision of related services. According to the assumptions of the Italian non-governmental organization Legambiente, since 1994, about 40 ships loaded with toxic and radioactive waste have disappeared in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. If true, these claims paint a disturbing picture of contamination of the Mediterranean basin with an unspecified amount of nuclear material, the extent of the true threat of which will become clear when, through wear and tear or some other process, the integrity of hundreds of barrels is compromised. Behind the beauty of the Mediterranean Sea, an unfolding ecological disaster may well be hiding.

8. Coast of Somalia

Since we are talking about this sinister business, the Italian mafia just mentioned was not limited to its own region. There are also allegations that the Somali soils and waters, left without state protection, were used for the burial and flooding of nuclear materials and poisonous metals, including 600 barrels of toxic and radioactive waste, as well as waste from medical institutions. Indeed, UN Environment officials believe that rusting barrels of waste washed up on the Somali coast during the 2004 tsunami were dumped into the sea as early as the 1990s. The country is already ravaged by anarchy, and the impact of the waste on its impoverished population could be as devastating (if not worse) than anything it has experienced before.

For decades, the Mayak production complex in northeastern Russia has included a plant for the production of nuclear materials, and in 1957 became the site of one of the world's worst nuclear incidents. As a result of the explosion, which resulted in the release of up to one hundred tons of radioactive waste, a vast territory was contaminated. The fact of the explosion was kept under cover of secrecy until the eighties. Since the 1950s, the plant's waste has been dumped in the surrounding area, as well as in Lake Karachay. This has led to the contamination of the water supply system that provides the daily needs of thousands of people. Experts believe that Karachay may be the most radioactive place in the world, and more than 400,000 people have been exposed to the plant's radiation as a result of various serious accidents - including fires and deadly dust storms. The natural beauty of Lake Karachay deceptively hides pollutants that create a level of radiation in the places where they enter the waters of the lake, sufficient for a person to receive a lethal dose of radiation within an hour.

6. Sellafield, UK

Located on the west coast of England, Sellafield was originally an atomic bomb factory, but has since moved into the realm of commerce. Since the start of its operation, hundreds of emergency situations have occurred on it, and two-thirds of its buildings themselves are now considered as radioactive waste. The facility dumps about 8 million liters of radioactive waste into the sea every day, making the Irish Sea the most radioactive sea in the world. England is famous for its green fields and hilly landscapes, despite the fact that in the heart of this industrialized country, a toxic, high-accident facility is well established, spewing dangerous substances into the oceans.

5. Siberian Chemical Combine, Russia

Mayak is not the only dirty place in Russia; There is a chemical industry facility in Siberia that contains more than forty years of nuclear waste. Liquids are stored in open pools, and poorly maintained tanks hold over 125,000 tons of solid materials, while underground storage is capable of leaking into groundwater. Winds and rains spread the pollution over the surrounding area and its wildlife. And many minor accidents have led to the loss of plutonium and the explosive spread of radiation. The snow-covered landscape may look pristine and clean, but the facts make clear the true degree of pollution that can be found here.

4. Semipalatinsk test site, Kazakhstan

Once the site of nuclear weapons testing, the area is now part of modern-day Kazakhstan. The site was set aside for the needs of the Soviet atomic bomb project due to its "uninhabitability" - despite the fact that 700,000 people lived in the area. The facility was located where the USSR detonated its first atomic bomb and holds the record as the site with the highest concentration of nuclear explosions in the world: 456 tests over 40 years from 1949 to 1989. Although the site's tests—and its exposure to radiation—were kept secret by the Soviets until its closure in 1991, the radiation is estimated to have affected the health of 200,000 people. The desire to destroy the peoples on the other side of the border led to the specter of nuclear contamination, which hung over the heads of those who at one time were citizens of the USSR.

In Mailuu-Suu, considered one of the ten most polluted cities on Earth according to a 2006 Blacksmith Institute report, radiation does not come from atomic bombs or power plants, but from the extraction of materials needed in their associated technological processes. In this area, uranium mining and processing facilities were located, which are now abandoned along with 36 dumps of uranium waste - more than 1.96 million cubic meters. This region is also characterized by seismic activity, and any disturbance of the containment of substances can lead to their contact with the environment or, if they enter rivers, pollute the water used by hundreds of thousands of people. These people may never worry about the threat of a nuclear strike at all, but they still have good reason to live in fear of radioactive fallout whenever the earth shakes.

2. Chernobyl, Ukraine

The site of one of the worst and most infamous nuclear accidents, Chernobyl, is still heavily polluted despite the fact that a small number of people are now allowed in the zone for a limited time. The infamous incident exposed 6 million people to radiation, and estimates of the number of deaths that will eventually occur in connection with the Chernobyl accident range from 4,000 to 93,000. Radiation emissions were a hundred times greater than those that occurred during the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Belarus absorbed 70 percent of the radiation, and its citizens faced a never-before-seen amount of cancer. Even today, the word "Chernobyl" conjures up horrifying images of human suffering.

1. Fukushima, Japan

The 2011 earthquake and tsunami was a tragedy that took lives and homes, but the longest-term danger may be the impact from the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl caused fuel meltdowns in three of the six reactors, as well as such radiation leaks into the surrounding areas and into the sea that radioactive substances were detected at a distance of up to two hundred miles from the plant. Until the accident and its consequences are fully revealed, the true extent of environmental damage remains unknown. The world may still feel the effects of this catastrophe for generations to come.

Insidious and invisible - radiation frightens many, especially today, when not much time has passed since the accident at the Japanese Fukushima, and the word "Chernobyl" has long become a household word.

It is quite possible that ten most radioactive places on earth may surprise many who live unaware of the potential danger.

10. In the US state of Washington, he has been producing plutonium for the US nuclear program for decades. Today, two-thirds of the state's radioactive waste is located here. Despite the fact that the enterprise has been decommissioned, 200 thousand liquid and 700 thousand cubic meters of solid waste, as well as 518 square meters, remain contaminated. km of groundwater.

9. Is it a tourist paradise or a gigantic hazardous waste dump? It is widely known that the Italian mafia has been repeatedly accused of using sea waters to bury radioactive waste. About forty ships with dangerous cargo found shelter in the Mediterranean waters. The whole catastrophic situation can be revealed after a while, when the integrity of the containers is violated.


8. also suffered from the actions of the Italian mafia. With no state protectorate, the soil and coastal waters became a repository for 600 barrels of radioactive waste. According to the UN, waste containers were thrown onto the coast of Somalia during the tsunami in 2004.


7. in Russia was the site of one of the largest nuclear disasters in history. As a result of a powerful explosion in 1957, up to 100 tons of radioactive substances were thrown into the air and soil over a vast territory. The incident was carefully hidden until the 1980s of the last century. However, in addition to the accidental release, starting from the 1950s, Mayak deliberately polluted the river and the beautiful Karachay Lake with its waste.


6. is a source of radiation threat on the west coast of prosperous Great Britain. Initially, the complex produces plutonium for nuclear bombs, then it turned from a military one into a commercial enterprise. Two-thirds of Sellafield's buildings are radioactive waste storage facilities. The daily discharge of 8 million liters of toxic substances makes the Irish Sea the most radioactive in the world.


5. Unfortunately, Mayak is not the only place in Russia contaminated with radiation. has been storing toxic waste for more than four decades. The deplorable state of containers containing hazardous substances can lead to contamination of soil and groundwater.


4. inherited modern Kazakhstan from the USSR. Although it was believed that the place was ideal for testing nuclear weapons, about 700 thousand people lived in the region. Semipalatinsk's record of 465 nuclear tests in 40 years is unparalleled in the world.


3. represent a real danger to the ecology of Kyrgyzstan. The raw materials extracted here are processed on the spot, the waste from which is filled with 36 deadly landfills. The danger is aggravated by the seismic activity of the region. An earthquake can lead to contamination of soil, water and radioactive fallout.


2. Notoriety can serve as a reminder to everyone of the danger that radiation poses to a person. As a result of the disaster, more than 6 million people felt the effects of radiation, of which, according to various sources, from 4 to 93 thousand died. The ecological situation in Chernobyl today is far from ideal - these are the consequences of the release of radiation 100 times higher than the levels recorded during the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.


1. The destruction caused to Japan by the earthquake and tsunami may be only a small part of the danger that threatens the ecology of the coast in the area Fukushima . The true scale of pollution has not been clarified until today. However, radiation was detected 320 kilometers from the crash site. Scientists have yet to assess the potential danger of this accident for future generations. It is possible that the coast of Japan is already the most radioactive place on earth.

Radiation. The tragedy at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant instilled fear in many before this word. However, we are sure that as long as there are no terrible accidents, no major emissions happen, everything is fine. But this is a sad delusion, because even residents of cities far from nuclear power plants are not immune from getting a dose of radiation that is harmful to the body. Do you know what the radiation background is in Moscow? Does it exceed the norm? What areas are considered unfavorable in this regard? In this article, we will answer these and other burning questions.

What you need to know about radiation

Radiation - "irradiation") - ionizing radiation. Radioactivity - the instability of atomic nuclei, manifested in their spontaneous decay and emission of ionizing radiation. Let's list the radioactive particles:

  1. Alpha - heavy helium nuclei with a positive charge.
  2. Beta - electron flows.
  3. Gamma - light rays with great penetrating power.
  4. X-ray - similar to the previous radiation, but has less activity.
  5. Neutrons are neutral particles emitted from nuclear reactors.

If we translate everything that has been said to a person, then for us radiation is particles and rays that can penetrate the body, negatively affecting it at the cellular level, which inevitably leads to serious health problems and even death. This effect is called irradiation - the transfer of radioactive energy to the cells of a living being.

Human Consequences

If the radiation background in Moscow is critically increased, then this will threaten the residents of the capital with the following:

  • blood cancer;
  • metabolic disorders;
  • genetic mutations;
  • malignant tumors;
  • infertility;
  • infectious complications and so on.

The worst thing is that radiation affects a person the more, the younger his body is.

How does radiation affect us? This usually happens in the following ways:

  1. Through food and water.
  2. Through contaminated air.
  3. Through frequent medical procedures involving exposure to radiation.
  4. Being close to natural sources of radiation.
  5. In view of living close to scientific, industrial radiation enterprises that do not care about protecting the environment from their activities.

Therefore, it is important to know in Moscow, so as not to settle in an area where constant presence is detrimental to the body.

Technogenic and natural radioactivity

Let's make a small digression. If the natural radiation background in Moscow or another city in some area is increased, you should not immediately blame the authorities and enterprises for hiding radioactive dumps or accidents. After all, radiation can be not only man-made, but also natural.

Let's look at the difference:

  • natural radiation:
    • Solar, space - we are reliably protected from it by the atmosphere.
    • Earth's crust - comes from building materials, sand, stone. In Moscow, a number of decorative granite slabs on the streets have a high radioactive background.
    • Radon gas - according to some sources, it is emitted by the earth's crust, which is why it "exists" in the basement. And from there, through the ventilation system, it is brought into residential apartments. "Escape" from it is simple - regularly ventilate your home.
  • Man-made radiation:
    • Nuclear reactors.
    • Mining sites for underground minerals.
    • radioactive dumps.

Radiation protection

If you noticed with the help of your own dosimeter that the radiation background in Moscow or the Moscow Region is increased, then the first thing to do is contact:

  • to the radioactive safety service "Radon";
  • to the Head Department for Civil Defense and Emergency Situations of Moscow;
  • to the Center for State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance of Moscow, Department of Radiology.

Then you should take care of your security:

  • protect yourself with a temporary barrier from radiation;
  • use special protective equipment;
  • immediately leave the zone with an increased radiation background in Moscow, try to spend less time there.

Recall the simple means that will protect you from radiation:

  • alpha - regular paper sheet;
  • beta - glass;
  • gamma - lead;
  • neutrons - water.

Measurements of the background radiation level in Moscow and the Moscow Region

Let's not sow panic among readers: the radiation level, which is extremely dangerous for human health and life, is 30 microR/h. Nowhere in Moscow today have such figures been recorded!

Here is the official data:

  • average radiation background in open areas - 8-12 microR/h;
  • sleeping areas - 8 microR/h;
  • industrial zones - 8 microR/h;
  • city ​​center - 10.8 microR/h;
  • the recorded maximum is 20.2 μR / h.

Let's look in the table at the radiation situation in Muscovites' favorite vacation spots.

It's not all bad, but it could be better.

radioactivity in Moscow

As for the capital, a network of sensors has been installed throughout the metropolis, which are designed to monitor the radiation background. Here are some of their locations:

  • emb. Kotelnicheskaya;
  • st. Timiryazevskaya;
  • sq. uprisings;
  • emb. Sadovnicheskaya;
  • st. Aviamotornaya;
  • sh. Kashirskoe;
  • sh. Enthusiasts;
  • Leninsky Prospekt;
  • WWII museum;
  • Okhotny Ryad;
  • sh. Warsaw;
  • sh. Leninskoe.

If you believe the indicators of these devices, then the average background radiation in Moscow is 0.11-0.15 μSv / h.

Disadvantaged areas of Moscow

According to experts, getting a dose of radiation in the capital, though not deadly, but not useful, is quite realistic. They identify the following unfavorable zones:

  • Troparevsky forest park;
  • District of Lublino;
  • Krylatskoe;
  • Strogino;
  • "Zelenaya Gorka" (Rokossovsky Boulevard) - radioactive burial;
  • Area of ​​the hotel "Ukraine";
  • "Shcherbinka" - a site for the burial of radioactive waste of the Podolsk plant;
  • The city of Sergiev Posad is a rather extensive radioactive dump;
  • Lake Solnechnoe;
  • Zhestovsky quarry;
  • 24th kilometer of the Leningrad highway - here is the plant of the Research Institute of the Center for Testing the Safety of Radiation of Space Objects.

The main danger of these zones is associated with the proximity of waste disposal sites.

Map of radioactive contamination of Moscow and the region

Scientists scrupulously examine data on the background radiation in the capital and surrounding areas. Based on this information, we can distinguish:

  1. Particularly polluted areas: Lyubertsy (considered a crisis), Moscow, Khimki, Mytishchi, Noginsky, Voskresensky, Kashirsky, Shatursky, Krasnogorsky district.
  2. Medium degree: Shchelkovo, Pushkino, Kolomna, Serpukhov, Podolsk, Orekhovo-Zuevo, Ramensky, Leninsky, Pavlovo-Posadsky, Lukhovitsky, Kolomna, Stupinsky district.
  3. Relatively clean zones: Yegoryevsky, Ozersky, Zaraisky, Serebryano-Prudsky, Naro-Fominsky, Chekhov, Odintsovsky, Mozhaysky, Istra, Volokamsky, Dmitrovsky, Ruzsky, Shakhovskaya district.

Now let's see what radionuclides most each district of Moscow is infected with:

  1. Cesium: Eastern, Southeastern, Northwestern. Some sites in the North-Eastern, Northern, Western, South-Western.
  2. Radon: East, Northeast, North, South, West. Some areas in the North-West, South-West.
  3. Uranus: Northeast, West, Southwest, South. Some zones in the Northwest, East and Southeast.
  4. Thorium: Northwest, Southwest. Some sites in the North-Eastern, Western.

Now you are aware of the dangers of radiation for humans, as well as the background radiation in Moscow. Let us reassure you once again: it does not currently exceed the norm that is dangerous for a person. But you should not close your eyes to the areas polluted in this regard. Our advice is to go there as little as possible.

Disasters at nuclear power plants or testing of atomic bombs, all this is detrimental to the environment. It is because of them that the level of radiation in some places on the planet is higher than in others.

Radioactivity is the ability of unstable atoms to spontaneously decay. Often, human activity accelerates this process. A striking example of such activity is the testing of nuclear weapons by several states at once. Below is a rating of places where the level of radiation significantly exceeds the average allowable.

9. Goias, Brazil


This strange incident took place in 1987, in the state of Goiás, Central Western Region of Brazil. Scrap metal collectors stole a radiation therapy machine from a local abandoned hospital. The device, which emitted an unusual blue color, attracted attention. However, subsequently the entire region was in great danger, since unprotected contact with this device led to the spread of radiation.

8. Sellafield, UK


Sellafield is an atomic complex for the production of weapons-grade plutonium for atomic bombs. The complex was founded in 1940, and in 1957 there was a fire, which resulted in the release of plutonium. The tragedy claimed thousands of lives and caused great material damage to the owners. The survivors soon died of cancer.

7. Hanford Complex, USA


The Hanford Nuclear Complex is located in the state of Washington, on the Pacific Northwest coast. Founded in 1943 by the US government. The main task of the complex was the generation of nuclear energy for the production of weapons. Now the complex has been decommissioned, however, the radiation emanating from it will remain on the territory for many decades to come.


Unfortunately, the perpetrators of the spread of radiation in Somalia are neither local residents nor the country's authorities. According to available data, the responsibility for this lies with the management of European companies based in Switzerland and Italy. The authorities of these companies took advantage of the unstable situation in the republic and dumped radioactive waste on its shores. The consequences of this dumping had a very strong impact on the people of Somalia.

5. Denver, USA


Compared to other regions of the world, the Denver region in the United States has been shown to have high levels of radiation itself. However, some scientists attribute this to the fact that the city is located at an altitude of one mile (1609.344 m) above sea level. As you know, in high mountainous regions the atmospheric layer is thinner, respectively, and protection from the sun's radiation-carrying rays is not so strong. The region also has large deposits of uranium, which also play an important role in the spread of radiation in the region.

4. Semipalatinsk test site, Kazakhstan


During the Cold War, on the territory of the test site, which at that time belonged to the USSR, nuclear weapons were tested. 468 tests were carried out, the consequences of which are still reflected in the inhabitants of the surrounding areas adjacent to the test site. About 200,000 people have been affected by the radiation in the region, according to the data.

3. Mayak (production association), Russia


During the Cold War, the Mayak Production Association built several nuclear power plants throughout Russia. The largest station was located in the closed city of Chelyabinsk-40 (now Ozersk), Chelyabinsk region. On September 29, 1957, an accident occurred at the station, which experts attributed to the 6th level on the international scale (the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant was attributed to the 7th level). The death toll from this disaster is still uncertain. Attempts to clean up the region from radiation are unsuccessful, it is still among the regions unsuitable for habitation.

2. Fukushima, Japan


In March 2011, the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl occurred at the Fukushima-1, or Fukushima Daiichi, nuclear power plant in Japan. As a result of the accident, the area around the nuclear power plant was empty. About 165 thousand local residents were forced to leave their homes, which existed in the zone around the plant, which has now become an exclusion zone.

1. Chernobyl, Ukraine


The catastrophe at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant has left its mark on the entire territory of Ukraine and beyond. On April 26, 1986, the world was shocked by the news that an accident at a nuclear power plant had occurred in the city of Pripyat. Vast territories of Ukraine, as well as neighboring territories of Belarus and Russia, were put at risk of infection. There was a large release of radiation into the atmosphere. And although, according to official figures, only 56 people are listed as dead, the true number of victims is still in question.

The use of nuclear energy inevitably leads to accidents and radioactive contamination. Read the article to learn about the nine most radioactive places on the planet. Rating of the ten most polluted places on the planet with radiation.

We are all exposed to radiation in one form or another every day. However, in the twenty-five places that we will tell you about below, the level of radiation is much higher, which is why they were included in the list of the 25 most radioactive places on Earth. If you decide to visit any of these places, don't get mad if you find yourself with an extra pair of eyes after looking in the mirror... (well, maybe that's an exaggeration... maybe not).

25. Extraction of alkaline earth metals | Karunagappally, India

Karunagappally is a municipality in the Kollam district of the Indian state of Kerala where rare metals are mined. Some of these metals, especially monazite, have been eroded into beach sand and alluvial deposits. Due to this, the radiation in some places on the beach reaches 70 mGy / year.

24. Fort d'Aubervilliers | Paris, France


Tests for radioactive radiation found quite strong radiation at Fort D "Aubervilliers. Cesium-137 and radium-226 were found in 61 of the tanks stored there. In addition, 60 cubic meters of its territory were also contaminated with radiation.

23. Acerinox Scrap Metal Processing Plant | Los Barrios, Spain


In this case, the source of caesium-137 went unnoticed by the monitoring devices at the Acherinox scrap yard. When melted, the source caused the release of a radioactive cloud with radiation levels exceeding normal by 1000 times. Pollution was later reported in Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland and Austria.

22. NASA Santa Susana Field Laboratory | Simi Valley, California


Simi Valley, California is home to NASA's Santa Susanna Field Laboratory, and over the years, about ten small nuclear reactors have failed due to several fires involving radioactive metals. Cleanup operations are currently underway at this heavily polluted site.

21. Plant for the extraction of plutonium "Mayak" | Muslimovo, Soviet Union


Due to the Mayak plutonium mining plant, built in 1948, the residents of Muslimovo in the southern Ural Mountains are suffering from the consequences of drinking water contaminated with radiation, which has led to chronic diseases and physical disabilities.

20. Church Rock Uranium Mill | Church Rock, New Mexico


During the infamous accident at the Church Rock uranium enrichment plant, more than a thousand tons of solid radioactive waste and 352,043 cubic meters of acidic radioactive waste solution entered the Puerco River. As a result, radiation levels increased 7,000 times above normal. A study conducted in 2003 showed that the waters of the river are still polluted.

19. Apartment | Kramatorsk, Ukraine


In 1989, a small capsule containing highly radioactive caesium-137 was found inside the concrete wall of an apartment building in Kramatorsk, Ukraine. The surface of this capsule had a dose of gamma radiation equal to 1800 R/year. As a result, six people died and 17 people were injured.

18. Brick houses | Yangjiang, China


Yangjiang urban area is full of houses made of sand and clay bricks. Unfortunately, the sand in this region comes from parts of the hills that contain monazite, which breaks down into radium, actinium, and radon. The high levels of radiation from these elements explain the high rate of cancer in the area.

17. Natural background radiation | Ramsar, Iran


This part of Iran has one of the highest levels of natural background radiation on Earth. Radiation levels at Ramsar reach 250 millisieverts per year.

16. Radioactive sand | Guarapari, Brazil


Due to the erosion of the natural radioactive element monazite, the sands of Guarapari beaches are radioactive, with radiation levels reaching 175 millisieverts, very far from the acceptable level of 20 millisieverts.

15. McClure Radioactive Site | Scarborough, Ontario


The McClure Radioactive Site, a housing estate in Scarborough, Ontario, has been a radioactive site since the 1940s. The contamination was caused by radium recovered from scrap metal that was to be used for experiments.

14. Underground springs of Paralana (Subterranean Springs of Paralana) | Arkaroola, Australia


The underground springs of Paralana flow through rocks rich in uranium and, according to research, these hot springs have been bringing radioactive radon and uranium to the surface for over a billion years.

13. Goias Institute of Radiation Therapy (Instituto Goiano de Radioterapia) | Goias, Brazil


The radioactive contamination of Goiás, Brazil was the result of a radioactive radiation accident following the theft of a radiation therapy source from an abandoned hospital. Hundreds of thousands of people have died due to pollution, and even today, radiation is still rampant in several areas of Goiás.

12. Denver Federal Center | Denver, Colorado


Denver Federal Center has been used as a landfill site for a variety of wastes, including chemicals, contaminated materials, and road demolition debris. This waste was transported to different places, which led to the radioactive contamination of several areas in Denver.

11. McGuire Air Force Base | Burlington County, New Jersey


In 2007, McGuire Air Force Base was recognized by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as one of the most polluted air bases in the country. That same year, the US military ordered a clean-up of contaminants at the base, but the contamination is still there.

10. Hanford Nuclear Reservation Site | Hanford, Washington


An integral part of the US atomic bomb project, the Hanford facility produced plutonium for the atomic bomb that was eventually dropped on Nagasaki, Japan. Although the plutonium stock was decommissioned, approximately two-thirds of the volume remained at Hanford, causing groundwater contamination.

9. In the middle of the sea | Mediterranean Sea


A syndicate controlled by the Italian mafia is believed to be using the Mediterranean as a dumping ground for hazardous radioactive waste. Some 40 ships carrying toxic and radioactive waste are believed to sail through the Mediterranean, leaving large amounts of radioactive waste in the oceans.

8. Coast of Somalia | Mogadishu, Somalia


Some claim that the soil of the unprotected coast of Somalia was used by the mafia to dump nuclear waste and toxic metals, which include 600 barrels of toxic materials. This, unfortunately, turned out to be true when, in 2004, the tsunami hit the coast and the rusting barrels buried here several decades ago were opened to the eyes of people.

7. Production association "Mayak" | Mayak, Russia


A lighthouse in Russia has been the site of a huge nuclear power plant for many decades. It all started in 1957, when approximately 100 tons of radioactive waste was released into the environment in a catastrophe that resulted in an explosion that polluted a huge area. However, nothing was reported about this explosion until 1980, when it was discovered that since the 1950s, radioactive waste from the power plant had been dumped in the surrounding area, including Lake Karachay. The pollution resulted in more than 400,000 people being exposed to high levels of radiation.

6. Sellafield Power Plant | Sellafield, UK


Before it was converted into a commercial area, Sellafield in the UK was used to produce plutonium for atomic bombs. Today, about two-thirds of the buildings that are in Sellafield are considered radioactive. This facility releases about eight million liters of contaminated waste every day, polluting nature and causing death to people living nearby.

5. Siberian Chemical Plant | Siberia, Russia


Just like Mayak, Siberia is also home to one of the largest chemical plants in the world. The Siberian Chemical Combine produces 125,000 tons of solid waste that pollutes the groundwater of the surrounding area. The study also found that wind and rain carry these wastes into the wild, causing high levels of wildlife mortality.

4. Polygon | Semipalatinsk test site, Kazakhstan


The test site in Kazakhstan is best known in connection with the atomic bomb project. This deserted place was transformed into an institution where the Soviet Union detonated its first atomic bomb. The test site currently holds the record for the largest concentration of nuclear explosions in the world. Approximately 200,000 people are currently suffering from the effects of this radiation.

3. Western Mining and Chemical Plant | Mailuu-Suu, Kyrgyzstan


Mailuu-Suu is considered one of the most polluted places in the world. Unlike other radioactive sites, this site receives its radiation not from nuclear bombs or power plants, but from large-scale uranium mining and processing activities, releasing approximately 1.96 million cubic meters of radioactive waste into the area.

2. Chernobyl nuclear power plant | Chernobyl, Ukraine


Heavily contaminated with radiation, Chernobyl is the site of one of the worst nuclear accidents in the world. Over the years, the Chernobyl radiation disaster has affected six million people in the area and is predicted to result in approximately 4,000 to 93,000 deaths. The nuclear disaster at Chernobyl released 100 times more radiation into the atmosphere than was released as a result of the explosion of nuclear bombs in Nagasaki and Hiroshima.

1. Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant | Fukushima, Japan


The aftermath of the earthquake in Fukushima Prefecture in Japan is said to be the longest lasting nuclear hazard in the world. Considered the worst nuclear accident since the Chernobyl disaster, the disaster caused three reactors to melt down, resulting in a massive radiation leak that was detected 322 kilometers from the power plant.