The graphic maps out the areas that are at risk, or already contaminated from nuclear industry after the break-up of the former Soviet Union. Nuclear power has unresolved problems of waste disposal. Waste remains dangerous for thousands of human generations and can be converted to plutonium, a component of nuclear weapons. The mining of nuclear fuel, containing U-235 and U-238, can pollute groundwater with both heavy metals and traces of radioactive uranium, radium and thorium, and puts uranium miners at increased risk of lung cancer.

Year: 2006

From collection: ENRIN Archive

Cartographer: Philippe Rekacewicz, UNEP/GRID-Arendal