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Nuclear Waste
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Nuclear Waste
Nuclear Waste is the byproduct of nuclear energy. In other words, it is what is left over after the energy is used up. Nuclear fission used in the uranium process is also a culprit in causing nuclear waste products. This waste contains radioactive chemicals that can not be used for anything more. The United States currently has over 8 million tons of this waste sitting around not having a purpose and not having any way to dispose of it. In one area, populated with 30,000 individuals the US is currently dumping waste materials.
Classifications Of Nuclear Waste
There are a few types or classifications of nuclear waste. The level at which it is rated is dependant on what amounts of radiation it contains per volume. No level is safer but some seem to pose a smaller risk to the environment and the inhabitants who live around it.
Low Level Waste – LLW is the lowest classification used for nuclear waste. This waste requires that protective clothing be used when in contact with it. The amount of radiation in this level is fairly low and is a danger to humans only if it is taken into the body by way of inhalation, absorption through the skin, ingestion, and injection methods.
Intermediate Level Waste – ILW has a larger amount of radioactive particles and needs more than just protective clothing. This level of waste contains items such as chemical sediment, resin, and other contaminated materials from the reactor shutdowns.
High Level Waste – HLW comes from the nuclear reactor itself. It contains the very ingredients of the reaction to nuclear fission and is generated from the core of the reactor. HLW makes up the majority of the nuclear waste found today. It is so high in radioactive materials that it can have a hot temperature. There is currently 12,000 tons of this waste produced each year throughout the world. Transuranic Waste – TRUW have atomic numbers that are higher than what is found in uranium. American weapons production is the main reason this type of waste exists. It comes in the form of clothing, rags, tools, debris, and residue other contaminated items containing smaller amounts of radiation. Disposal Methods Of Nuclear Waste Products
Depending on the type of nuclear waste being disposed of, the methods vary slightly. The ILW is usually made into a solid as a concrete block and disposed of. The other types of waste that carry a smaller amount of radiation are placed in underground facilities. Some of the waste has been dumped in the ocean as a disposal method also. Unfortunately, none of the disposal methods used is any better than the other and none of them seem to be very safe.
The Effects Of Nuclear Waste On The Environment
Nuclear waste is not a force to be reckoned with. It is also a problem that can not be ignored. Nuclear waste can cause effects much like what would happen if you have an atomic bomb dropped on your community.
Water can become contaminated by the radioactive material underground. Mental anxiety is also a factor for those who are aware they live near a dumping site. Higher rates of cancer, problems conceiving, and birth defects in babies are only a part of the terrible problems one could face from exposure.
Direct or indirect exposure to nuclear waste has an adverse affect on human cells. The cells are damaged and as they try to repair themselves, they do so incorrectly. Damaged cells are what cause multiple types of cancer to appear. Leukemia, bladder, breast, colon, lung, ovarian, liver, throat, and digestive cancers have been reported.
Problems To Be Concerned About
Since nuclear waste is disposed of underground, there is a large risk of the waste contaminating water supplies. Even low levels of radiation can ooze out into the main drinking water of a community. The same can be said for the soil. Once the soil is contaminated, anything grown in it is also contaminated as the plants get their nutrition from the ingredients in the earth. The chain of events continues further when humans and animals eat the vegetation grown in contaminated soil and they become contaminated themselves.
The risk of exposure is higher for those who work around the radioactive materials. Certain machinery can have the same effects and byproducts as the nuclear fission does producing nuclear energy. This is where the TRUW level comes into action.
Working On the Problem
Groups Working On The Problem
There is one particular group that is working with communities and government agencies to inform the public about the risks associated with nuclear waste. It is made up of members who are ordinary citizens who have a great concern for the safety of the planet. The group “Not in My Backyard” is working to stop the government from dumping this waste in populated areas. The government needs to find more remote locations for their underground dumping facilities to prevent the harmful effects of the radiation from harming those around it.
Working On the Problem
The obvious fix for the problems of unusable nuclear waste is the change in what types of energy we, as individuals choose to use. There are many other acceptable means of energy that do not cause such damage to the earth and to the environment. The lower the usage of this nuclear energy, the better off we will all be. Changing the types of machinery used that will also produce radioactive waste will help to lower the risk. More research will also help to find more acceptable methods of nuclear waste disposal.
To Conclude
The search for more acceptable methods of waste disposal of radioactive material is in the works but until an acceptable method is found, the nuclear waste will continue to be dumped in underground facilities. More time and effort needs to be out into this growing problem. It should be a major priority for everyone. The solution is out there but it will take many of us working together to find the right solution.
Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_waste
