> The USSR responded quickly and it took just 8 months to entomb the reactor. At a gross cost to human life[1], and in a way that leaves the problem there - wo

> The USSR responded quickly and it took just 8 months to entomb the reactor. At a gross cost to human life[1], and in a way that leaves the problem there - work is _still_ to contain and clean up the reactor. There are good reasons for not doing the same here. The sarcophagus was never intended to be a permanent solution, and was unsuccessful in completely containing the accident: Sr-90 and Pu-239 were leaching into the surrounding water table, and some have suggested that the rainwater and remaining nuclear fuel posed the risk of restarting the nuclear chain reaction[2]. [1] death figures are controversial, and vary wildly, but 600,000 people were involved in the cleanup, some of whom will have been put at risk. [2] https://outline.com/fTk4GX https://outline.com/fTk4GX