Short term approach to nuclear wastes masks reality of the problem
as the world’s nuclear military powers are discovering the costs continue after the submarines and power stations have been decommissioned from active service. The equipment and reactors cannot easily or cheaply be dismantled and will remain radioactive for hundreds of years
Nuclear and radioactive waste disposal – by Patrick Boniface – Helium, 30 May 2010, Nuclear waste is dangerously toxic, its environmental impact if released would be devastating, as was witnessed during both the Chernobyl explosion, the American Three Mile Island scare and the Windscale fire of 1957.In these cases radioactive material was released into the atmosphere. With the Windscale fire some 15,000 terabequerels (TBq) of radioactive material (notably Iodine-131) were released (3).
A report compiled by Crick & Linsley in 1983 estimated that 260 people would eventually die from dieases, such as thyroid cancers, related to the release of the material during the fire, (4).
Other aspects that environmentalist’s voice concerns over include the storage of spent nuclear fuels, from commercial nuclear reactors and increasingly from redundant nuclear warships such as submarines.
In particular in the former Soviet Union around the submarine base of Arkangel in Northern Russia there are around sixty nuclear submarines that are rotting away but still with large amounts of nuclear material contained within their hulls.
The Russian economy is unable to afford the costs of de-commissioning these submarines. The cost of decommissioning is between $100-300 million per submarine (5). Continue reading
Nuclear wastes, like diamonds, are forever
THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY AND RADIOACTIVE WASTES – our theme for June 2010. “The question whether one generation of men has a right to bind another, seems never to have been started either on this or our side of the water. Yet it is a question of such consequences as not only to merit decision, but place also, among the fundamental principles of every government.” – Thomas Jefferson, September 6, 1789
Half-life is the period of time it takes for a radioisotope atom to degrade to a state having half of its original intensity
As you can see the continued production, use, and dumping of such waste materials as depleted uranium and plutonium, into the world’s air, land, and water leaves a permanent problem for our children, grandchildren. great-grand-children ….
U.S. politicians wake up to nuclear scam, postpone “Emergency Bill” bonus for nukes
HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE POSTPONES CONSIDERATION OF EMERGENCY BILL, $9 BILLION IN NEW REACTOR LOANS, Nuclear Information and Resource Centre, 28 May 2010, About 3 pm yesterday, the House Appropriations Committee suddenly postponed its scheduled 5 pm meeting to consider the emergency supplemental funding bill, which right now includes a provision that would allow $9 Billion in new taxpayer loans for nuclear reactor construction.
The meeting has not yet been rescheduled, but will take place after the Memorial Day recess; most likely the week of June 14.
Many Appropriations Committee members apparently didn’t even realize the nuclear loans are in this bill. And because of the way they are described–as $90 million for nuclear and $90 million for renewables under the byzantine Congressional budgeting procedures–some members may not have understood that translates into $9 Billion in taxpayer loans for new reactors.
How the world’s savings are used to promote the nuclear industry
Who gives the nuclear industry the billions of dollars and euros of our money to build new reactors, block renewable energy, contaminate the environment and create highly dangerous waste that will be with the human race for hundred of thousands of years to come? The banks do. This is the secret the www.nuclearbanks.org website will tell you.
Nuclear banks? No thanks! | Greenpeace International, by jmckeati – May 26, 2010 , Today sees the launch of the http://www.nuclearbanks.org website, a joint venture between BankTrack, Greenpeace International, Urgewald (Germany), Les Amis de la Terre (France), Antiatom Szene (Austria), WISE (the Netherlands) and CRBM (Italy).Banks around the world love to boast about their investments in green technologies and renewable energy. What they don’t like to boast about is their involvement with the dirty and dangerous business of nuclear power. Continue reading
Nuclear energy salesmen run Obama’s Oil Disaster Commission
With Graham and Reilly on the commission, it’s far more likely that this commission will advance a much different agenda—a nuclear energy agenda…..one must ask if Graham is simply a nuclear energy salesman who knows how to play the game………both Graham and Reilly have strong ties to nuclear energy interests. They are spearheading a so-called independent commission
Nuclear Energy Has a Friend in Heads of Obama’s BP Oil Disaster Commission, by kgosztola May 25, 2010 IN In his weekly radio address on Saturday, May 22nd, President Obama selected the two men that will be leading an independent commission that will examine the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, find the “root causes” of the disaster, and produce a report in six months. Those men were former Sen. Bob Graham (D-FL) and former head of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under George H.W. Bush, William K. Reilly, a Republican……………. Continue reading
Switzerland: thousands rally against nuclear power
Swiss anti-nuclear protest gathers 4,000 Solothurn, Switzerland (GenevaLunch), 26 May 2010, – More than 4,000 people gathered in Goesgen, canton Solothurn, in northern Switzerland Monday, for a peaceful protest against the continuing development of nuclear energy in the country. The protest had participants from 83 groups in Switzerland, France, Germany and Austria. One of their key points was that switzerland’s nuclear power plans are preventing the rapid development of alternative energy programmes. GenevaLunch » Swiss anti-nuclear protest gathers 4,000
Core aim of U.S. Climate Bill is to promote nuclear energy
Nuclear Energy Has a Friend in Heads of Obama’s BP Oil Disaster Commission, by kgosztola May 25, 2010“……..Public Citizen reports the current climate legislation is a “nuclear energy-promoting, oil drilling-championing, coal mining-boosting” piece of legislation “with a weak carbon pricing mechanism thrown in.” The public interest groups warns against the nuclear power incentives currently in the climate change bill: Continue reading
UK tax-payer might have to foot the bill for nuclear industry
…….over the years, nuclear has had the lion’s share of R&D and public investment in new energy technology, and we are still spending about half our energy R&D funding on nuclear fission and fusion. By comparisons, renewables, as a group, have been starved of funding
(UK) The cost of nuclear – environmentalresearchweb, 24 May 2010, “………The capital cost is high, and the ultimate cost, if something goes seriously wrong, could be very large.The UK’s nuclear liability law is based on the Paris and Brussels Convention on Nuclear Third Party Liability, which has been in operation since the 1960s. Continue reading
U.S. nuclear power loan guarantee goes to French company AREVA
DOE Picks Areva for Nuclear Facility – WSJ.co By CASSANDRA SWEET 21 May 2010, Siobhan Hughes contributed to this article.The U.S. Department of Energy said Thursday that it has approved a $2 billion loan guarantee for French nuclear power developer, AREVA.
“…..The loan guarantee is part of a broader effort by the Obama administration to stimulate the development of a U.S. supply base for producing enriched uranium.
A condition of the loan guarantee is that Areva obtain a combined construction and operating license for the Idaho facility from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The French state owns directly and indirectly around 93% of Areva…..the decision to award Areva a guarantee drew criticism from Ohio, where USEC has a partly-constructed enrichment facility. Rep. Jean Schmidt (R.,Ohio) said the DOE’s decision contradicts a promise by President Obama “to support the American company applicant and build a facility in Ohio.” Ms. Schmidt estimated that the Ohio plant would create 4,000 jobs. DOE Taps Areva to Build Enrichment Plant – WSJ.com
UK’s nuclear plans hit by one blow after another
Another blow to nuclear plans, Ruscombe Green, 17 May 2010, “….new uncertainty over new nukes following the appointment of anti-nuclear Energy Secretary Chris Huhne. He has strengthened his assertion that new nuclear build will not receive any Government subsidies including in the event of a nuclear accident…….
Nuke-waste subsidy?
Chris Huhne may also be under pressure from anti-nuclear Lib-Dem colleagues to examine other potential aspects of Government subsidy Continue reading
Nuclear power: far from a done deal in UK
Nuclear or no nuclear….the first dispute for the UK’s newly elected Cameron-Clegg coalition, The Energy Collectiev, 14 May 2010,”……….. A major dispute already facing our new parliament in the first day of office is that of nuclear energy. Whilst the Tories are supportive of building nuclear power stations, the Liberal Democrats are against this. Simon Hughes, energy spokesperson for Liberal Democrats states that “A new generation of nuclear power stations will be a colossal mistake, regardless of where they are built. They are hugely expensive, dangerous and will take too long to build.”(Source: Guardian Environment, 11-May-10)
Nuclear or no nuclear….the first dispute for the UK’s newly elected Cameron-Clegg coalition
Obama: $80 billion for nuke weapons, to promote peace? It’s confusing
Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs
(Yeah – as a humble peasant, I don’t understand why Obama has to bribe the Republicans with hugely more nuclear weapons money, so they will agree with Obama’s and Russia’s plans to cut back nuclear weapons.?)
Kerry said the $80 billion funding request was the largest since the Cold War.
Obama wants $80 billion to upgrade nuclear arms complex, NewsDaily, By Susan Cornwelland Phil Stewart, (Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick; Writing by Phil Stewart; Editing by John O’Callaghan) WASHINGTON, May 13, 2010 (Reuters) — President Barack Obama sent a landmark arms-reduction treaty with Russia to the Senate on Thursday for ratification and called for $80 billion in nuclear funding, which could help win opposition support. Continue reading
The myth of nuclear power’s “rebirth” in USA
Nuclear Loan Guarantees Will Meet State Resistance, Connecticut News, May 13, 2010 , by Jonathan Kantrowitz It was front-page news across America this February when the Vermont Senate voted to shut down the troubled Vermont Yankee reactor in 2012. But what most Americans don’t know is that the nuclear industry also lost all of its seven other major state legislative pushes this year – going 0-8 and putting yet another nail in the coffin of the myth of the “nuclear renaissance” in the United States, according to an analysis by the Nuclear Information and Resource Service (NIRS). Continue reading
Nuclear power plants might be shut down in Germany
Poll defeat may hamper Merkel’s nuclear extension plans Deutsche Welle, 13.05.2010 Reuters Editor: Sonia Phalnikar Chancellor Merkel’s center-right government may have to rethink plans to extend the lifecycle of Germany’s nuclear plants after a defeat in a key regional election. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition government of Christian Democrats (CDU) and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) may be forced to reassess plans to run Germany’s nuclear power plants well past their scheduled shutdown dates.A defeat in a regional election in the state of North-Rhine Westphalia last Sunday robbed Merkel of a majority in the upper house of Germany’s parliament. That limits the chancellor’s ability to extend the lifespan of nuclear-power plants. Poll defeat may hamper Merkel’s nuclear extension plans | Environment & Development | Deutsche Welle | 13.05.2010
Uranium mining ‘rush” could be a ‘crash’ for Africa
Uranium ‘Rush’ Or ‘Crush’ for Erongo?, allAfrica.com: Adam Hartman 11 May 2010 “…………there are also elements that could turn this positive outlook into a uranium ‘crush’, with serious social, economic and environmental implications.One element is government’s non consideration to re-invest uranium revenue back into the environment and communities effected by the rush. Another element is an unforeseen event that destabilises uranium prices and the global uranium market, resulting in mines ‘turning off the lights and walking away’. Continue reading
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