nuclear wastes « nuclear-news

Nuclear Waste – Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future

Globally, each year, nuclear power reactors create enough spent fuel to fill a football field to a depth of 1.5 meters (4.9 feet), with a weight of about 10,500 tons.

U.S. Nuclear Waste Panel Slammed for Ignoring Public Fears, Environment News Service, WASHINGTON, DC, August 20, 2010 (ENS) “…….The Commission is made up of 15 members who have a range of expertise and experience in nuclear issues, including scientists, industry representatives, and respected former elected officials. Continue reading →

August 21, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, wastes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

Uncertainty over radiation as Russia’s wildfire danger still exists

Vice President of the European Parliament Rodi Kratsa said in a letter to the chamber last week that there are “serious risks” of radiation reaching Europe and asked her fellow deputies to find out whether Russia has a “prevention plan … to avoid the release of radioactive particles into the atmosphere.”

Fallout from Russia’s Fires – the ashes of Chernobyl, TIME, Simon Shuster , 20 Aug 2010, – “……. On Aug. 18, it [the Russian government] organized a trip to Bryansk for observers and environmentalists. Ivan Blokov, who went on behalf of Greenpeace, says the trip left some of the most crucial questions unanswered and convinced him only that the region’s firefighting infrastructure is “in a state of collapse” and would be unable to contain a major fire in the radioactive forests. Continue reading →

August 20, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | environment, Russia | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear technology, nuclear wastes, radioactive, recycling | Leave a comment

Domini Social Investments will invest in energy, but not nuclear

Before nuclear power can be seriously considered to be an effective answer to climate change, we need to solve the nuclear waste problem and we need to address the link between nuclear power and nuclear weapons proliferation.

To date there is no way to distinguish between the uranium enrichment process that is necessary to fuel a nuclear power plant and the enrichment of uranium for use in a nuclear bomb.

Domini does believe that companies with stronger social and environmental profiles should perform better in the long term, and that the use of social and environmental factors can help manage certain types of investment risk.

Social funds: BP, the 1960s, and greed | The Energy Collective, August 16, 2010 by Marc Gunther“.…..I heard from Adam Kanzer, who is managing director and general counsel at Domini Social Investments.….. Continue reading →

August 18, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, business and costs | antinuclear, climate change, energy efficiency, global warming, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, nuclear wastes, plutonium, reactors, renewable energy, renewables, uranium | Leave a comment

India’s govt makes several changes to the Nuclear Liability Bill

it [ The Indian Government]has been keen that a liability law is in place ahead of U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit to India in November. .

Amended Bill blocks private role in nuclear power – India – The Times of India, 18 Aug 2010, NEW DELHI: The government has ensured a safe passage for the civil liability for nuclear damage bill after sealing a deal with BJP on Tuesday by agreeing to bump up the “no-fault” liability from Rs 500 crore to Rs 1,500 crore and a guarantee against private firms running nuclear power plants. Continue reading →

August 18, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, Legal | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear wastes, reactors | Leave a comment

Russia censoring news about wildfires and radiation

Shoigu also demanded that those who reported on the spread of radiation fro fires burning in contaminated areas be made known to authorities.
As a consequence, public information about fires in areas posing a potential radiation hazard were ripped down from government websites,

Russia emergency minister threatens to ‘deal with’ those spreading radiation ‘rumours’ about wildfires in contaminated areas NEW YORK/ST PETERSBURG –Bellona, Charles Digges, Alexander Shurshev contributed from St. Petersburg , 17Aug 2010, Russian emergency officials have come up with a novel tool to smother the spate of heat wave caused wildfires that threaten to tear through radioactively contaminated forests and lands during the country’s hottest summer, releasing radiation: pull information about fires in radioactively contaminated areas and threaten punishment for those spreading “rumours.” Continue reading →

August 17, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Russia, secrets,lies and civil liberties | antinuclear, climate change, global warming, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

401 wildfires in Russia’s radiation contaminated Chelyabinsk

most worrisome of all, the Chelyabinsk region, home to the Mayak Chemical Combine, Russia’s nuclear reprocessing facility and one of the most radioactively contaminated areas on the planet hosted 401 fires over 3,536 acres.

Russia emergency minister threatens to ‘deal with’ those spreading radiation ‘rumours’ about wildfires in contaminated areas NEW YORK/ST PETERSBURG –Alexander Shurshev contributed from St. Petersburg “Bellona, 17 Aug 2010, ………..By last week Roslesozashchita website was reporting – before it was taken down – that 269 fires were burning over 664 acres in the Bryansk Region.But that was not all. Continue reading →

August 17, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | environment, Russia | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear technology, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

India to adopt the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership idea

India will establish a Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership. PIB Press Release, 14 Aug 2010, The Centre will be owned and managed by the Government. It will be open to international participation through academic exchanges, training and research and development efforts. The Centre is aimed at strengthening India’s cooperation with the international community in the areas of advanced nuclear energy systems, nuclear security, radiological safety and radiation technology applications in areas such as health, food and industry. This initiative was announced by Prime Minister at the Nuclear Security Summit held in Washington on 13th April 2010.A phased approach will be followed for setting up of the Centre and no expenditure has so far been incurred on the Centre.This information was given by Sh. Prithviraj Chavan, Minister of State for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Parliamentary Affairs in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha recently.

PIB Press Release

August 14, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, politics international | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, reactors | Leave a comment

USA nuclear companies sweating on India’s Civil Nuclear Liability Bill

[The Bill] would free US suppliers of liability…..The haste on part of the ruling side is said to be keeping in mind the November visit of US president Barack Obama. Several US companies are awaiting the bill clearance, which allows nuclear business with the country……

No consensus on N-bill Prasad Nichenametla, Hindustan Times New Delhi, August 11, 2010 After two months of deliberations by a Parliamentary standing committee, consensus still eludes the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill 2010 effectively bringing the proposed legislation, giving effect to Indo-US nuclear agreement, to square one….. Continue reading →

August 11, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, politics international | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear technology, nuclear wastes, reactors | Leave a comment

Four nuclear sites in Russia at risk from fires

The Mayak plant can process 400 tonnes of waste a year. It was the scene of one of the former Soviet Union’s major nuclear disasters in 1957 when a liquid waste accident affected some 260,000 people and forced the evacuation of several towns.

Russia nuclear sites under threat from the flames, Khaleej Times, (AFP)9 August 2010, MOSCOW — Here is a list of sensitive nuclear sites threatened by the spread of fires raging in Russia since late July.· Continue reading →

August 10, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | environment, Russia | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive, reprocessing | Leave a comment

Move to help nuclear workers exposed to radiation

John thought he was manufacturing laundry detergents during his 23 years at Blockson. He wore only a paper mask while handling tanks that, unknown to him, were filled with uranium and radium to be used in the production of nuclear weapons.

Workers exposed to radiation may soon benefit from fund, The Washington Post, By Gerry SmithSunday, August 8, 2010; CHICAGO — Four years ago, then-U.S. Sen. Barack Obama called them “veterans of the Cold War” and pledged to help them receive compensation.But today, many former workers at Blockson Chemical in Joliet, Ill., and their survivors still have not been paid from a fund created in 2000 to make amends for exposing workers to high levels of radiation without telling them or providing adequate protection. Continue reading →

August 9, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Legal, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

USA keen to sell nukes to Vietnam – drops non-proliferation standards

An agreement would allow US companies such as General Electric and Bechtel to sell nuclear reactors and other equipment to Vietnam.

US and Vietnam in controversial nuclear negotiations | World news | The Guardian, Chris McGreal, 5 Aug 2010, Nuclear agreement would be without usual restrictions on enriching uranium imposed on other nations …….. Continue reading →

August 6, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics international, USA | antinuclear, enriched, General Electric, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Continuing issue of smuggling of Highly Enriched Uranium

The Georgian ministry of interior has foiled eight attempts of illicit trafficking of enriched uranium during the last ten years, including several cases of weapons-grade enrichment.”

Nuclear Smuggling in the Former Soviet Union, THE HUFFINGTON POST, Rizwan Ladha , 4 Aug 2010, “……..In 2006, a North Ossetian man named Oleg Khintsagov (sometimes spelled Khinsagov) was arrested for selling 100 grams of highly enriched uranium (HEU) to an undercover Georgian official. He was sentenced to 7 years in prison. An excellent detailed report of the entire episode (in PDF format) is available from the Belfer Center here, and is covered briefly in the new feature film, Countdown to Zero. Continue reading →

August 5, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | EUROPE, secrets,lies and civil liberties, Uranium | antinuclear, enriched, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment

USA Dept of Energy wants to offload weapons plutonium onto commercial reactors

The Department of Energy is looking for ways to dispose of plutonium from nuclear weapons….Ed Lyman, senior staff scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the mixed-oxide fuel is “too dirty, dangerous and expensive.”

TVA hears public worries over Ala. plant plutonium – BusinessWeek, 4 Aug 2010, TANNER, Ala. A public hearing on the Tennessee Valley Authority possibly using reprocessed weapons plutonium to power some reactors in north Alabama and Tennessee attracted about 70 people, many with questions about safety. Continue reading →

August 5, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | technology, USA | AUSTRALIA, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, plutonium, reactors, reprocessing | Leave a comment

Public anxiety over plan to use plutonium fuel in Browns Ferry reactors

The plutonium in MOX also makes fuel rods less stable, Lyman said. That increases the chance of a reactor meltdown. Not only is such a meltdown more likely, he said, but the use of plutonium would increase the number of fatalities by about 25 percent compared to a meltdown involving conventional fuel rods.

(USA) Crowd expresses concern over plutonium proposal, The Times Daily | Florence, AL, By Eric Fleischauer Decatur Daily, August 4, 2010 . A frustrated crowd of about 60 people confronted TVA and Energy Department officials at a public hearing Tuesday, and few expressed comfort with a proposal to use plutonium in Browns Ferry reactors. Continue reading →

August 5, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | technology, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear wastes, plutonium, radiation, radioactive, reactors | Leave a comment

Time for a positive step with Iran nuclear deal?

The perhaps best indicator would be Iran’s willingness to allow full, open, and unrestricted IAEA inspections of its confirmed and suspected nuclear facilities. That would be the first step toward what could be a watershed deal in engaging Iran with the outside world and scaling back the nuclear program threatening Middle Eastern and global security.

Why Iran Might Finally Be Ready for a Nuclear Deal – International – The Atlantic, Max Fisher, 28 July, 2010, It’s difficult to know how seriously to take Iran’s offer to halt its program of enriching medical-grade uranium in exchange for a nuclear fuel swap. Continue reading →

August 5, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Iran, politics international | antinuclear, enriched, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, reactor, uranium | Leave a comment