Exclusion Zone is one of the five and the last barriers before radioactive releases from nuclear power plants reach the public domain. This is not a physical barrier. However, no permanent residence is allowed within the 1.6 km radius from nuclear reactor. This ensures significant dilution of an airborne radioactive release before it reaches any public habitation, thus reducing the resulting public dose. Radiation dose to the public at the distance of 1.6km is calculated for the releases during normal/abnormal working of the nuclear reactors, to check compliance with the regulatory limits for releases to the public domain.
Thus Exclusion Zone is an important barrier which has prevented large public doses during the on-going nuclear emergency situation at Fukushima nuclear power reactor in Japan.
In spite of the best possible design and safety records, accidents can still occur and hence the concept of defense-in-depth should never be compromised.
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