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One would not even have to build and detonate a device in order to employ radiation as a weapon. The 2011 disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan demonstrated the devastation that can occur when radiological material is released from a nuclear plant. A physical or cyber attack to deliberately disrupt or damage a nuclear facility could greatly sicken those living in the area and cause significant environmental and economic damage, a concern that is greatest in developing nations that are just beginning to harness radiation as a form of energy.

 

DIRTY BOMB VS. NUCLEAR BOMB

However, radiological weapons are one category that not all experts include when discussing WMDs. One reason why is because they are often grouped together in the same category as nuclear weapons since they employ the same materials. However, a “dirty bomb” is much different from a nuclear bomb. A nuclear bomb’s explosion is millions of times more powerful. The fallout from a nuclear bomb could be spread out over tens or even hundreds of square miles. A dirty bomb’s radiation would be limited to a few blocks or miles.

It has also been argued that the majority of radiological materials lack the strength to present a public health risk, and even if the most dangerous radiological materials were used in weaponry (without the use of fission or fusion) the number of deaths resulting would probably be in the dozens rather than thousands. The amount of radiation absorbed by the body, the type of radiation (gamma, beta, or alpha) that the victim is exposed to, the distance from the radiation to an individual, the means of exposure (absorbed by the skin, inhaled, or ingested), and the length of time exposed would all contribute to the severity of the injury.

Whether radiological weapons should be classified as WMDs remains a matter of dispute. But some experts prefer to use a different term, CBRN weapon, to include the radiological designation.

 

CBRN Weapons

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