Nuclear accidents have been caused by leaking pipes and equipment that has broken down. If radiation leaks, it can travel very far, harming people and the natural world. Power stations are now built to very high safety standards.
Nuclear reactors can overheat and burn.
If a nuclear power station overheats, it can lead to a meltdown. This is when the nuclear reactor burns and becomes so hot that it melts. Equipment explodes and the heat is so intense that even concrete walls burn. A meltdown can allow deadly radioactive materials to escape, killing anything nearby.
Human error caused the world’s worst nuclear disaster at Chernobyl, Ukraine.
In 1986, mistakes by workers caused a meltdown at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor. An invisible cloud of poisonous radiation spread for many kilometres. Today, more advanced machinery can help prevent this kind of disaster.
Nuclear radiation can kill.
The powerful radiation from nuclear fuel can cause illness and death to people and wildlife. The children of people exposed to radiation may be born with illnesses and disabilities. However, it is not always easy to prove the link between radiation and ill health.
