Nuclear waste
As can be imagined, nuclear waste is incredibly hazardous to the environment and to human health. There are principally two types of nuclear waste. High Level Waste (HLW) such as spent fuel rods and Low Level Waste (LLW) such as clothing and equipment worn by workers. Despite the views of the proponents of nuclear power, there is no failsafe method for the safe storage of HLW nuclear waste. The usual methods for the “safe” disposal and storage of nuclear waste is to bury it underground or on the ocean floor in sealed containers. These sealed containers are usually constructed of a ceramic material, in this case zirconium silicate. These containers are then further encased in steel flasks and buried deep underground. That seems fairly safe doesn’t it? Wrong. (6)
Ceramics are materials that are made of a metal and non-metal combined. In certain circumstances the material can undergo a change in crystalline structure due to collisions from heavier radioactive particles that are emitted from the nuclear waste. That effectively turns the ceramic into glass like structure. In effect it dissolves the ceramic structure over a much shorter period than what is required for safe long-term storage.A study carried out in Cambridge university in 2007 found that such ceramic containers dissolved in approximately 1,400 years. Given the fact that Plutonium 239 has a half life of 24,000 years, the current materials technology is nowhere near what is required to safely store this radioactive material safely for the lifetime of this material. Let’s not forget that the long-term storage of HLW is hugely expensive. Companies and governments operating within the nuclear industry could never be accused of being ethical or principled when it comes to their responsibility to protect the environment. Any shortcut that can be taken to dispose of the toxic and radioactive by-product of this industry will be taken by these people. (7)
An example of this is the manufacture and use of depleted uranium weapons (DU). These weapons are primarily used as armour piercing artillery shells and tank busting shells. These are used to pierce the armour plate on armoured tanks. They are used because of their high density and the ease with which they penetrate heavy armour. The only conventional non-toxic and non-radioactive alternative to DU is ground tungsten. To manufacture equivalent munitions using ground tungsten is hugely expensive. Manufacturing weapons from DU serves two purposes. Firstly, it allows the nuclear industry to dispose of depleted uranium on the battlefield as opposed to the much more expensive option of safe storage. Secondly, it provides essentially free weapons for the military. However, as can be imagined these weapons have a devastating effect on the environment and on the military personnel exposed to them.
The Uranium-238 atoms in depleted uranium have a half-life of approximately 4.5 billion years, roughly equivalent to the age of the planet. So it is safe to say that any land or water sources contaminated with depleted uranium is for ever contaminated and rendered permanently unusable. This clearly illustrates why nuclear power and the waste from the nuclear industry is disastrous for the environment and can never be handled or used safely..
