Nuclear Debate

8/12/2019 Nuclear Debate

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Waste

High-level radioactive waste is very dangerous, and can remain so for tens ofthousands of years before decaying to safe levels. It is highly radioactive and is amajor barrier to the expansion of nuclear power.

If there is to be a "nuclear renaissance", a sophisticated method of dealing with thiswaste must be refined. This point itself has sparked a surprising number of debates.

For example, how do you write "danger" on a concrete box, when in 5,000 years theword "danger" may no longer exist? What symbols could we use to let people knowto leave it well alone?

As you can see from the graph below, the radioactivity of nuclear waste takes about10 000 years to return to that of the original ore. The black line, indicating the totalwaste products, is the important one.

Accidents

Consider the words Chernobyl , Three Mile Island or, more recently, Fukushima .What do you think when think of them?

Some people were (are) so terrified of the threat of radiation and various otherscary things from previous accidents that even the idea of such things happeningagain makes them completely averse to nuclear power as a whole.

In terms of disadvantages of nuclear power, this is a big one. Whatever

improvements in safety the nuclear industry has developed, public opinion may verywell rest in these events.

There's no right or wrong answer here. Technically speaking, nuclear power remainsone of the safer energy sources, but Fukushima has reminded the world what canhappen when something goes wrong.

Proliferation

Some forms of nuclear reactor, known as "breeder" reactors produce plutonium,which can, conceivably, be used to make nuclear weapons, most likely in the form of

a "dirty bomb". This is a conventional explosive mixed with radioactive material withthe intention of spreading the material across a wide area to do even more damage.

There are other reactors which do not have this problem, but it is another issue thatmust be addressed before the possibility of a nuclear future can be taken seriously.In fact, there are reactor designs, and fuels for them, which would also significantlyreduce the amount of waste produced.


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Fuel

Nuclear fuels are, physically, even rarer than fossil fuels. Fossil fuels at least aremade on Earth, albeit over millions of years. Heavy elements like Uranium are onlymade as stars die, in supernovas. Our solar system actually formed from theremains of another star, at which point heavier elements were made.

Essentially, once they're gone, they're gone. Only in particle accelerators canheavier elements be made.

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Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy

1. Radioactive Waste : The waste produced by nuclear reactors needs to bedisposed off at a safe place since they are extremely hazardous and can leakradiations if not stored properly. Such kind of waste emits radiations from tens tohundreds of years. The storage of radioactive waste has been major bottleneck for theexpansion of nuclear programs. The nuclear wastes contain radio isotopes with longhalf-lives. This means that the radio isotopes stay in the atmosphere in some form orthe other. These reactive radicals make the sand or the water contaminated. It isknown as mixed waste. The mixed wastes cause hazardous chemical reactions andleads to dangerous complications. The radioactive wastes are usually buried under

sand and are known as vitrification. But these wastes can be used to make nuclear weapons.2. Nuclear Accidents : While so many new technologies have been put in place tomake sure that such disaster dont happen again like the ones Chernobyl or morerecently Fukushima but the risk associated with them are relatively high. Even smallradiation leaks can cause devastating effects. Some of the symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fatigue. People who work at nuclear power plants and livenear those areas are at high risk of facing nuclear radiations, if it happens.

3. Nuclear Radiation : There are power reactors called breeders. They produceplutonium. It is an element which is not found in the nature however it is afissionable element. It is a by-product of the chain reaction and is very harmful ifintroduced in the nature. It is primarily used to produce nuclear weapons. Mostlikely, it is named as dirty bomb.4. High Cost : Another practical disadvantage of using nuclear energy is that itneeds a lot of investment to set up a nuclear power station. It is not always possible by the developing countries to afford such a costly source of alternative energy.

Nuclear power plants normally take 5-10 years to construct as there are several legal
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5. National Risk : Nuclear energy has given us the power to produce more weaponsthan to produce things that can make the world a better place to live in. We have to become more careful and responsible while using nuclear energy to avoid any sort ofmajor accidents. They are hot targets for militants and terrorist organizations.Security is a major concern here. A little lax in security can prove to be lethal and brutal for humans and even for this planet.6. Impact on Aquatic Life : Eutrophication is another result of radioactive wastes.There are many seminars and conferences being held every year to look for a specificsolution. But there is no outcome as of now. Reports say that radioactive wastes takealmost 10,000 years to get back to the original form.7. Major Impact on Human Life : We all remember the disaster caused during

the Second World War after the nuclear bombs were dropped over Hiroshima andNagasaki. Even after five decades of the mishap, children are born with defects. Thisis primarily because of the nuclear effect. Do we have any remedy for this? Theanswer is still no.8. Fuel Availability : Unlike fossil fuels which are available to most of thecountries, uranium is very scare resource and exist in only few of the countries.Permissions of several international authorities are required before someone caneven thought of building a nuclear power plant.

9. Non Renewable : Nuclear energy uses uranium which is a scarce resource and isnot found in many countries. Most of the countries rely on other countries for theconstant supply of this fuel. It is mined and transported like any other metal. Supply will be available as long as it is there. Once all extracted, nuclear plants will not be ofany use. Due to its hazardous effects and limited supply, it cannot be termed asrenewable. Various nuclear energy programs are undergoing in developed as well as developingnations like India. Not to mention, nuclear energy advantages are far ahead ofadvantages of fossil fuels. That is the reason that it has become most favoredtechnology to produce energyformalities to be completed and mostly it is opposed by the people who live nearby.http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/Disadvantages_NuclearEnergy.php
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The Basics of Nuclear Power

Nuclear power is generated from a metal called uranium. Uranium is mined in places such as Australia,

Argentina, Canada, Brazil, China, France and many other countries. The uranium is used to create controlled

nuclear reactions called nuclear fission. Nuclear fission gives off a tremendous amount of heat which is used to

heat water to create steam. This steam turns turbines which produces electricity. In a standard fossil fuel

electricity station the same thing occurs except the burning of the fossil fuel heats the water to create steam.

Nuclear power plants can produce more energy using less fuel and thus they are seen as a more environmental

friendly source of power.

What are the Disadvantages of Nuclear Power?

Due to many countries looking to find more environmentally friendly ways of producing power the advantages of

nuclear power have been widely publicized. It is important, however to understand the disadvantages of this type

of power usage as well. Understanding both sides of nuclear power is important especially in the light of the most

recent nuclear disaster in Japan at Fukushima I.

Radioactive waste

The production of nuclear power produced a lot of waste material. This waste material is extremely hazardous

and difficult to dispose of safely. Most radioactive waste produced by a nuclear power plant is keep on site or isburied underground in huge concrete pits. This waste has to be carefully looked after for many thousands of

years.

High risks associated with accidents

While the chance of a nuclear accident happening are relatively low the risks associated are extremely high.

Even small radiation leaks can cause devastating effects on the surrounding environment and people. A

cataclysmic accident can cause widespread radiation poisoning across many countries as the Chernobyl Nuclear

disaster proved.

Terrorist Targets

Due to the wide spread damage a reactor breach could cause, nuclear power plants could become favoured

terrorist targets. Some nuclear reactions also produce plutonium in large quantities which could be used innuclear weaponry.

Not renewable

Nuclear power is not a renewable source of energy. Uranium is a metal that is mined from the ground in much

the same way as coal is mined. It is a scarce metal and the supply of uranium will one day run out making all the

nuclear power plants obsolete. Nuclear power is not a long term solution to finding a renewable, environmentally

friendly energy source.

Time and Money

It takes a long time to plan and build a nuclear power plant that is safe and effective. Nuclear power is therefore

to a quick solution to the worlds energy issues. In addition to the time it take to effectively plan and build a

nuclear power plant, a lot of money has to be spent to make sure that the plant is safe. Unsafe plants mean that

there are more likely to be accidents.

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Advantages of Nuclear EnergyExpenseUranium is not subject to the same price fluctuations that oil or coal are. This keeps the cost ofnuclear energy stabler than the price of electricity generated by fossil fuels.

ReliabilityWhen a nuclear power plant is functioning properly, it can run uninterrupted for up to 730 days.This results in fewer brownouts or other power interruptions.

No Greenhouse GasesWhile nuclear energy does have some emissions, they aren't the kind to contribute to globalwarming. This lack of greenhouse gases can be very attractive to some consumers.

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Advantages of Nuclear Power

Energy

Nuclear power is a potential source to fill many of our energy needs. Francegenerates 78% percent of its energy through nuclear reactors,demonstrating how important it can be as an energy source.

As we use use up more and more of our natural sources of energy such ascoal and fossil fuel, nuclear energy becomes a possible alternative.

Costs

The costs of nuclear power include both the finances to produce the powerand the cost in terms of the environment . In order to use nuclear energy, theoperating costs are quite low. Furthermore, for nations using nuclearenergy, they do not have to spend money to purchase expensive sources ofenergy from other countries.Using nuclear power for energy prevents us from having to destroy othertypes of energy such as fossil fuels, which are already in short supply. Inaddition, many of these fossil fuels are harmful for the environment. Usingnuclear power presents a low cost, cleaner alternative to fossil fuels.

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Nuclear Debate

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