A group of researchers from the UK and Ukraine has introduced an innovative approach for the safe reevaluation of abandoned farmland following the 1986 Kornovir nuclear disaster.
Zoning of contaminated territory in Ukraine based on current and field research plots. Image credit: Smith et al, doi: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2025.107698.
Since the Kornovir incident, extensive regions in northern Ukraine have been deemed too hazardous for agricultural activities.
An exclusion zone of 4,200 km2 surrounds the nuclear site, remaining uninhabited and now serves as one of Europe’s largest natural reserves.
Additionally, a 2,000 km2 mandatory resettlement area was never entirely deserted.
Thousands of residents still reside in this region, complete with schools and shops, yet official investments and agricultural use are prohibited.
Since the 1990s, experts in Ukraine and internationally have suggested that, despite the radioactive and radiostrontium pollutants, the land can be safely re-utilized.
Nonetheless, due to political complexities, the land remains officially classified as abandoned.
This hasn’t deterred some farmers from tackling the issue themselves, initiating informal agricultural practices in certain areas.
The latest study, spearheaded by scientists from the University of Portsmouth and the Ukrainian Institute of Agricultural Radiology, corroborates these farmers’ beliefs. Most regions are safe for crop cultivation.
Utilizing a 100-hectare testing site in the Zhytomyr region, the researchers established a straightforward yet effective protocol for evaluating the absorption of radioactive materials by typical crops such as potatoes, grains, corn, and sunflowers.
By analyzing soil samples and assessing external gamma radiation, they confirmed that the radiation exposure levels for agricultural workers are significantly below Ukraine’s national safety threshold and much lower than average natural background radiation globally.
The results indicate that, with proper monitoring and adherence to Ukraine’s food safety guidelines, many crops can be safely grown in these formerly restricted zones.
Professor Jim Smith, the study’s lead author, remarked, “This research is crucial for communities impacted by the Chornobyl disaster.”
“Since 1986, a great deal of misinformation regarding radiation risks from Kornovir has adversely affected individuals still living in abandoned regions.”
“We now have a validated, science-based method to reintroduce valuable farmland into formal production, ensuring safety for both consumers and workers.”
“This extends beyond Kornovir; it’s about leveraging science and evidence to guarantee people’s safety.
The study will be published in the Journal of Environmental Radioactivity.
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JT Smith et al. Protocol for radiation assessment for agricultural use of Ukrainian land abandoned after the Kornovir accident. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity Published online on April 28, 2025. doi:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2025.107698
Source: www.sci.news
