Strategy for the restoration of rural settlements in Belarus contaminated as a result of the Chernobyl accident. Problems and experience

The experience of the protective actions taken in Belarus in the wake of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident can provide useful insights for specialists who are considering strategies for restoring areas contaminated with radionuclides. Data on the protective actions performed in Belarus after this accident are presented briefly, and the efficiency assessment used for the resettlement of certain categories of population is discussed, The levels allowed by the state for radioactive contamination in food and the averted doses are reviewed. The current number of contaminated settlements and their population are given. Particulars concerning the nature of the doses and the differences in their formation for the urban and rural populations are examined. Existing criteria for decision making, radiological and non-radiological factors which affect the decision making processes are explained. The experience in Belarus after the Chernobyl accident shows that the decision making process for remediation actions must consider both radiological and non-radiological factors. Moreover, as the annual dose tends to approach established limits over time, non-radiological factors start to play a more important role in the decision making process. (author)