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Almost 40 years after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, there is new hope for Ukrainian agriculture: a recent study by the University of Portsmouth and the Ukrainian Institute of Agricultural Radiology published in the Journal of Environmental Radioactivity suggests that parts of the contaminated areas could once again be safely used for farming, at least under certain conditions. What was considered uninhabitable for decades is now cautiously returning to the focus of agricultural use. This could mean a possible recovery of valuable soils for farmers.
Following the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, a large portion of agricultural land in the vicinity of the nuclear power plant was abandoned. About 2,600 square kilometers of land fell into the so-called exclusion zone. To this day, much of it is officially classified as unusable. However, this classification is based on thresholds and assessments from 1991. Since then, a lot has changed: radiation levels have decreased due to natural decay and erosion. Particularly, the long-lasting radioactive cesium has moved into deeper soil layers, making it less available to plants.
The study focuses on a 100-hectare test field in northern Ukraine. The soil is typical for the region: sandy podzol with low organic matter. Researchers developed a method for quickly assessing radiation levels using simple dosimeters and soil samples to quantify the contamination by key radionuclides like cesium, strontium, and plutonium isotopes. The crucial step was combining these results with model calculations for the uptake of these substances in eight typical crops, including potatoes, rye, and corn.
The models indicate that on the tested field, the concentrations in the produce would have remained below the Ukrainian regulatory limits. The radiation exposure for farmers would also be below 1 millisievert per year, a level considered safe by international recommendations. "The exposure is clearly dominated by external radiation, not by food intake," according to the study authors. However, caution is needed: these results only apply to mineral-rich soils with low organic content. For organic-rich soils like peat or chernozem, the uptake of radioactive substances by plants could be significantly higher, requiring separate analyses.
The study not only provides specific recommendations for Ukraine but also offers a practical approach for other contaminated areas worldwide. The developed assessment and clearance approach could help reactivate previously unused agricultural land where risks are acceptable. In a country like Ukraine, where the agricultural sector is of central economic importance, this would be a significant step. However, the return to using land near the exclusion zone is not a free pass but a process that must be scientifically monitored and strictly controlled. Yet, the study results suggest that under the right conditions, resuming farming is possible, offering farmers a new perspective: what was once thought to be lost forever could become fertile land again.
The 26th of April 1986 marked a turning point not only for Ukraine but for all of Europe. German farmers also felt the impact of the Chernobyl disaster. Radioactive clouds traveled over Central Europe, contaminating soils, pastures, and waters. Regions in southern Germany were particularly affected, where elevated cesium levels can still be found in certain forest mushrooms or wildlife. At that time, farmers had to destroy entire crops, milk cows were not allowed to graze on contaminated pastures, and many farmers wondered about the future. Chernobyl vividly showed how the consequences of a nuclear accident can cross borders and linger for a long time.