Modern industrial societies rely heavily on various radio-nuclear, chemical and biological (CBRN) tools for their energy, technical or scientific outputs. Some occasional breakdowns in these systems have led to individual contamination but we can’t ignore the risk of a potential risk of a more collective contamination if we want to have a more preventive and resilient  approach.

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Indeed, two types of catastrophic situations could brutally cause a massive exposure to NRBC agents in public environment and at lethal doses.
 

1.Accidental:  whether it is an external event or an acute malfunction that would exceed the capabilities of resistance of a site (air crash, earthquake, extreme weather phenomenon, Chernobyl explosions, Bhopal ...).

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2.Deliberate or malicious: use of these agents as a weapon of war or terrorism. Although they have in principle been banned or limited by international conventions, NRBC agents are perfectly suited to asymmetrical conflict.