Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Economic aspects of evacuation and resettlement after a radioactive fallout in Sweden

Javid, Reza ; Isaksson, Mats ; Finck, Robert LU and Rääf, Christopher L. LU orcid (2025) In Radiation Protection Dosimetry 201(13-14). p.911-918
Abstract

High energy prices recently have moved nuclear power back into the limelight. The biggest risk of nuclear industry has been large-scale accidents that give rise to ground deposition of long-lived fission products such as 137Cs, notably Chernobyl in 1986 (Ukraine) and Fukushima in 2011 (Japan). In Japan, extensive land remediation of residential areas was carried out at an estimated direct cost between 16 and 41 billion Euros. We have studied a hypothetical radioactive fallout scenario in Sweden and then applied a cost-benefit analysis on remediation of urban land and resettlement of evacuees. Direct costs for remediation of amounts to 100 million Euro/km2 (2020 price levels). For an average city in Sweden the costs... (More)

High energy prices recently have moved nuclear power back into the limelight. The biggest risk of nuclear industry has been large-scale accidents that give rise to ground deposition of long-lived fission products such as 137Cs, notably Chernobyl in 1986 (Ukraine) and Fukushima in 2011 (Japan). In Japan, extensive land remediation of residential areas was carried out at an estimated direct cost between 16 and 41 billion Euros. We have studied a hypothetical radioactive fallout scenario in Sweden and then applied a cost-benefit analysis on remediation of urban land and resettlement of evacuees. Direct costs for remediation of amounts to 100 million Euro/km2 (2020 price levels). For an average city in Sweden the costs related to evacuation and decontamination greatly exceed the potential monetary benefits from averting radiation induced cancers. Thus, based solely on financial factors, it is concluded that an exhaustive evacuation and resettlement is not monetary cost-effective.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Radiation Protection Dosimetry
volume
201
issue
13-14
pages
8 pages
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:105014629427
  • pmid:40875272
ISSN
0144-8420
DOI
10.1093/rpd/ncaf034
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
39650731-bf41-4c80-b214-b6b127c025aa
date added to LUP
2025-10-16 12:34:53
date last changed
2025-11-27 15:54:28
@article{39650731-bf41-4c80-b214-b6b127c025aa,
  abstract     = {{<p>High energy prices recently have moved nuclear power back into the limelight. The biggest risk of nuclear industry has been large-scale accidents that give rise to ground deposition of long-lived fission products such as <sup>137</sup>Cs, notably Chernobyl in 1986 (Ukraine) and Fukushima in 2011 (Japan). In Japan, extensive land remediation of residential areas was carried out at an estimated direct cost between 16 and 41 billion Euros. We have studied a hypothetical radioactive fallout scenario in Sweden and then applied a cost-benefit analysis on remediation of urban land and resettlement of evacuees. Direct costs for remediation of amounts to 100 million Euro/km<sup>2</sup> (2020 price levels). For an average city in Sweden the costs related to evacuation and decontamination greatly exceed the potential monetary benefits from averting radiation induced cancers. Thus, based solely on financial factors, it is concluded that an exhaustive evacuation and resettlement is not monetary cost-effective.</p>}},
  author       = {{Javid, Reza and Isaksson, Mats and Finck, Robert and Rääf, Christopher L.}},
  issn         = {{0144-8420}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{13-14}},
  pages        = {{911--918}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Radiation Protection Dosimetry}},
  title        = {{Economic aspects of evacuation and resettlement after a radioactive fallout in Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/rpd/ncaf034}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/rpd/ncaf034}},
  volume       = {{201}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}