Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
how nuclear reactors work is given in
Technical Note
at the end of this chapter.)
The anti-nuclear movement argues that nuclear energy
is dangerous because of radiation, reactor safety issues,
and nuclear waste disposal; is expensive; and increases
risks of weapons proliferation. These are serious issues,
which will all be discussed in this chapter. Here is a quick
preview.
.
Radiation: We each get
times the radiation
from naturally occurring radioactive materials in our
own bodies than we would get living next door to a
nuclear plant. Radiation can be dangerous and we have
to control exposures carefully, but this is not an issue
for a properly operating plant.
Safety: Accidents are the issue, and a strong regulatory
system is necessary as is proper design of the reactors.
Design requirement differences are the reason Three
Mile Island caused so little damage while Chernobyl
caused so much. Health effects from Fukushima are
less than if the same amount of electricity had been
generated by coal.
Waste disposal: Spent fuel disposal seems to be a
problem only in the United States where it is a political
problem, not a technical one. Other countries with
large nuclear programs have approved plans. Some
will bury the spent fuel. Others will bury part and
save the most troublesome parts for use as fuel in the
future.
publisher, and editor of The Whole Earth Catalog, quoted in Technology
Review (MIT), May
.
