nuclear-news

I was surprised by the statement in this article that “from a greenhouse-gas (GHG) and air-quality perspective, nuclear power is very clean. Once construction is complete, nuclear is a zero-emission technology.”

Nuclear reactors are not clean and not zero emission.

During operation, they routinely emit radioactive gases. Increasing health risks for nearby residents, CANDU heavy water reactors emit more tritium and carbon-14 than light water reactors.

Nuclear reactors produce solid and liquid wastes in addition to gaseous radioactive wastes. Highly toxic fuel-waste products, such as plutonium, require isolation from the environment for hundreds of thousands of years.

As well, greenhouse gases are generated during nuclear reactor construction, operation, dismantling and disposal, and during uranium mining and processing, fuel fabrication and waste management.