ChernobylChernobyl was the largest nuclear disaster of the 20th century. On April 26, 1986, one of four nuclear reactors located in the Soviet Union melted down and contaminated a large area of ​​Eastern Europe. The meltdown, the result of human error, a lack of safety precautions and the lack of a containment vessel, was barely contained by dropping sand and releasing huge quantities of deadly radioactive isotopes into the atmosphere. The resulting contamination killed or injured hundreds of thousands of people and devastated the environment. The effects of this accident are still being felt today and will be felt for generations to come. Nuclear energy has always been a controversial issue due to its inherent danger and the amount of waste the plants produce. Once considered a relatively safe form of generating power, nuclear energy has caused more problems than it has solved. While it has reduced the amount of traditional natural resources (fossil fuels) used to generate energy such as coal, wood and oil, nuclear generating plants have become anachronistic. Maintaining and keeping them safe has become a problem of immense proportions. As plants age and other technologies become available, what to do with these “eyesores” is an important question for many government agencies and environmental groups. No one knows what to do to fix the problem, and in many areas of the world another nuclear disaster is an accident waiting to happen. Despite a wide range of safety measures, a rupture in the reactor tube or a leak in a containment vessel could spell another environmental disaster for the world. In addition to the potential dangers of accidents at power plants, nuclear waste is an ongoing problem that is growing exponentially. Nuclear waste can remain radioactive for around 600 years, and disposing or storing it is an immense problem. Everyone wants the energy generated by power plants, but no one wants to take responsibility for the waste. So far it is stored deep in the earth, but these storage areas are potentially dangerous and will run out sooner or later. Some have suggested sending the waste into space, but no one is sure of the repercussions. Nuclear power plants should be dismantled and replaced with safer power generation sources.