The Fukushima accident and its consequences for humans and the environment
Prof. Dr. Rolf Michel (Institut für Radioökologie und Strahlenschutz, Universität Hannover)

More than 3 years after the explosions in the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant a relatively clear picture about its consequences has emerged. This presentation follows the sequence of events during the accident to our present state of knowledge. It describes the environmental contaminations in Japan and globally and explains the relevance of the individual released radionuclides. Then the radiation exposure of the population in Northern Japan is addressed. This is done on the basis of a recent assessment by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). The still existing shortcomings and future needs of exposure assessments are outlined by presenting the results of experimental measurements of radionuclides in foodstuff and of whole-body measurements. Finally, the health implications are discussed and the consequences of the accidents at Fukushima Dai-ichi and at Chernobyl are compared.