Jack-

I agree with you on that.

However, there will be over the years further distribution by prevailing winds of radioactive dust deposited on trees, soil, and structures. It's simply not feasible to clean up large areas downwind of the plant complex, as they've discovered around Chernobyl.

RANT ALERT!!!

I am continually irritated by the assumption by media reporters and some governmental or utility officials that radioactive isotopes are "harmless" after reaching their half-life. No, the isotopes in question haven't returned to background by that time; their radioactivity content has been reduced to half and they are still dangerous for 10 to 20 more intervals.
What does this mean for Iodine-131?

It's half-life is about 10 days.

After 10 days it retains half its radioactivity

After another 10 days it retains a quarter of its radioactivity

After another 10 days it retains an eight of its radioactivity.

Etc.

With cesium-137, the major difference is that we're concerned about a half-life of about 30 years. The concept is the same and it can be deadly for at least 300 years.

People prefer not to even consider the heavier radioactive isotopes whose half-life extends to thousands and thousands of years. Why consider the inconceivable? Cover it up with concrete, all smooth and beautiful!

Charley Noble