Matthew L. Wald writes about nuclear waste for The Breakthrough Institute.
- While some people may associate nuclear waste with blobs of green goo from “The Simpsons,” it is in reality much easier to handle and manage.
- Scientists and technicians have already developed safe and effective methods to handle and store nuclear waste.
- Innovative companies are also creating ways to fuel reactors using spent nuclear fuel.
- Nuclear waste, while radioactive, is safely managed and should not be a reason to oppose carbon-free nuclear power.
“The current generation of nuclear power reactors in the United States runs on uranium, formed into a ceramic somewhat like the material that makes up a coffee mug. The ceramic comes in the form of pellets about the size of a pencil eraser, and these are stacked in long, thin tubes. The tubes are bundled together into fuel assemblies that are up to 15 feet long and weigh about 1,000 pounds each. When they are new, they are barely radioactive, and technicians can handle them wearing cotton gloves.”
Read the full article here.
The views and opinions expressed are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of C3.
