Rare Earths, Recycling and the Nuclear CHAIN – theme for April 15

FIRST – there is NO “Nuclear Fuel Cycle” – only a toxic Nuclear Fuel Chain

The nuclear lobby is telling one of its finest whoppers – that there really is a “nuclear fuel cycle” – that toxic radioactive wastes can be turned into lucrative nuclear fuel – for a never ending glorious “cycle”

Not true. It is truly a Nuclear Fuel Chain – that the lobby hopes to put around Australians’ necks. The new geewhiz (not yet existing) Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactors (LFTRs) and Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs), including the Power Reactor Innovative Small Module (PRISM) – all produce highly toxic wastes that have to be buried. Reprocessing is NOT a “cycle”

SECOND – Rare Earths involve highly radioactive wastes – and require a big switch in DESIGN – so that they can be recycled.

Environmentalists must wake up to this. There must be a paradigm shift from the thinking, ) – from “dig it up – use it – throw it away” – to DESIGN.

The modern technologies that we value – from wind turbines to mobile phones must be redesigned, so that their rare earths can be easily retrieved and re-used.

Otherwise the planet will be further plagued by radioactive wastes from rare earths.

April 11, 2015 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's themes, RARE EARTHS

2 Comments »

Thank you for pointing this out to us all. It’s important for anti-nuclear activists to not use “nuke-speak”, and easy to fall in the trap just by constant reading. A circle also sounds like the circle of life, whereas the nuclear industry is the chains of slavery and death. Really we must learn to leave everything in the ground, and recycle what is needed. Indigenous Australians knew to leave things in the ground. They knew that sickness came from digging in the ground. There are conductive plastics already. Plastics are more and more vegetable based. If the governments would stop subsidizing the nuclear industry, the innovative potentials are out there. Universities can’t get money for algae research but the nuclear industry gets the monies. I’m so glad that I subscribed by e-mail to your blog. It makes it easier to read. I still get stressed by the quantity but cannot afford to miss your news. I highly recommend email subscription to this blog. Thanks for your hard work.

Comment by miningawareness | April 11, 2015 | Reply
- Thanks indeed for this encouragement.
  However, websites like your own miningawareness.wordpress.com are the real gold – providing the detailed information that we need, to keep trying to come to grips with the complexity of the issues surrounding the nuclear industry, and the other agents of pollution on this finite planet.
  
  Comment by Christina MacPherson | April 12, 2015 | Reply

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