Myths vs Realities (part 1)

There are a number of pervasive myths regarding both radiation and radioactive wastes. Some lead to regulation and actions which are counterproductive to human health and safety. Over the years, many views and concerns have been expressed in the media, by the public and other interested groups in relation to the nuclear industry and in particular its waste. Questions have been raised about whether nuclear power should continue when the issue of how to deal with its waste has apparently not yet been resolved.

 

Myth: The nuclear industry still has no solution to the 'waste problem', so cannot expect support for construction of new plants until this is remedied.

Reality: The industry has in fact developed the necessary technologies and implemented most of them - the remaining issue is to ensure that the proposed solutions are acceptable to the public.

Myth: The transportation of this waste poses an unacceptable risk to people and the environment.

Reality: The transport of nuclear materials is done in packages that store waste during transportation and are designed to ensure shielding from radiation and containment of waste, even under the most extreme accident conditions.

Myth: Plutonium is the most dangerous material in the world

Reality: Plutonium has been stated to be 'the most toxic substance on earth' and so hazardous that 'a speck can kill'. However, it is primarily hazardous if inhaled in small particles.

Myth: There is a potential terrorist threat to the large volumes of radioactive wastes currently being stored and the risk that this waste could leak or be dispersed as a result of terrorist action.

Reality: Most high-level wastes produced are held as stable ceramic solids or in vitrified form (glass), designed to ensure that radioactive isotopes resulting from the nuclear reaction are retained securely in the glass or ceramic which is such would be very difficult to disperse by terrorist action.

Myth: Nuclear wastes are hazardous for tens of thousands of years. This clearly is unprecedented and poses a huge threat to our future generations.

Reality: The radioactivity of high-level wastes decays to the level of an equivalent amount of original mined uranium ore in between 1,000 and 10,000 years. Its hazard then depends on how concentrated it is. Compare this to other industrial wastes (e.g. heavy metals such as cadmium and mercury), which remain hazardous indefinitely.

Will be continued in Myths vs Realities (part 2)

Happy learning! :)

Resource: Radioactive Wastes - Myths and Realities