Novozybkov and the surrounding districts of Zlynkovskiy and Gardeevskiy
are the most polluted areas of the Bryansk region. The local population
suffers from irradiation through direct exposure to Iodine-131,
Cesium-137, Strontium-90 and Plutonium which exists in buildings
and soils at levels more than sixty times what they were before
the Chernobyl accident 18 years ago. The greatest health threat
to the population is through ingestion of these radionuclides in
contaminated air, dust, water and food.
Despite the risk of irradiation local citizens continue to raise
crops and cattle and collect berries and mushrooms on contaminated
land because of poverty, high levels of unemployment, lack of government
support and poor-quality or nonexistent information about radioactivity.
The scientists of VIOLA cite four reasons for the lack of accurate
statistical health data on the population living in the radiation
zone:
- The absence of experts on radiation pollution in local hospitals;
- Lack of radiometers (radiation monitors) in hospitals and with
local families;
- Absence of uniform inspections of monitoring equipment and a
lack of standard units of measurement; and
- Poor work quality of the persons preparing state reports and poor quality of
the reports themselves.
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Last four inhabitants of Svijatsk, a village
close to Novozybkov.
Photo: VIOLA |
Disease of the population of the Bryansk region continues to be
42% to 44% higher than other areas of Russia. The primary diseases
are:
- Cancer, 43% higher than other areas of Russia;
- Diseases of the blood, 42.9% higher;
- Diseases of the digestive organs, 26% higher;
- Diseases of the endocrine and immune systems, 150% higher.
Children are especially vulnerable and sensitive to the effects
of radiation. Not only are their smaller bodies more easily damaged
and diseased by radiation exposure but, because they're still growing,
their developmental processes are damaged, placing them at increased
risk of susceptibility to illness and disease in years ahead.
Women of childbearing age also sustain additional stress and suffering.
In the Bryansk region, spontaneous and compelled abortion rates
are extremely high due to fetal pathologies linked directly to nuclear
pollutants. Additionally, thirty percent of women in this area are
unable to have children because of disrupted reproductive functions.
Against this current heartbreaking and almost inconceivable background,
VIOLA continues its work of educating local citizens about
health impacts of radiation-pollution and distributing free radiation
monitors to families and local groups.
