Despite the fact that nuclear energy offers great benefits as an alternative source of electric power, nuclear energy as a whole, is still a controversial issue in many countries. The reasons for this center round the issues of safety, waste, and nuclear weapons.
Nuclear Safety
National and international anxiety about nuclear power stems directly from a fear of release of radioactive material and its consequences on people and the environment. The problem, however, is that there is a huge information gap between specialists on the exposures from nuclear power and the public. When one looks at the 1991 report by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, (UNSCEAR) one would see that the routine generation of nuclear electricity releases only negligible amounts of radioactive materials to the environment.
"The average dose any individual in the world receives each year from all of the activities in the peaceful nuclear fuel cycle is less than 0.1 percent of the inevitable exposures he or she receives from natural radiation sources, such as cosmic rays and radon emitting building materials" ( Trudeau 59).
One has to accept that electricity production can't be totally free of risk. The accident at Chernobyl, in the former USSR, was undoubtedly the most severe radioactive accident the world has experienced since the arrival of nuclear energy as an alternative source of electric power. Although there 31 deaths can be attributed to the Chernobyl accident, there are many misgivings about the true nature of the accident. For example, the people who died, including the nuclear operators and the figherfighters, received very high doses, unlike the surrounding areas that were relatively safe from exposure to high radiation levels. "Contrary to some erroneous reports, no accurate health effects from the incident have been found in the population in the Ukraine and Byelorussia. Elsewhere in Europe, countermeasures taken in many countries immediately after the accident effectively reduced the levels of exposure to the public" (Trudeau 159). One can also see from UNSCEAR data that outside of the Soviet Union, the Chernobyl accident has emitted a dose that is a fraction of what the population receives every year from natural radiation found.
One positive result from the tragic Chernobyl accident is that there is now increased awareness and commitment of the nuclear community to international cooperation in the field of safety. "Through the efforts of utilities and governments, of the IAEA and others, an international nuclear safety regime is emerging, which includes a wide range of arrangements for improving operational safety and emergency preparedness and response to accidents" (Trudeau 159).
The United States has also had a serious accident concerning the production of nuclear energy. "An accident with potential for a core meltdown occurred in the PWR at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Station Unit 2 near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on March 28, 1979" ( Glasstone 105). The three Mile Island accident appears to have resulted from a combination of design deficiencies, inadequate procedures, and operator errors. "The consequences will be far reaching" (Glasstone). Like the Chernobyl accident, some good has come from the accident at Three Mile Island. After the accident, the Electric Power Research Institute established a Nuclear Safety Analysis Center to review and analyze information relative to the safety of nuclear power plants. The fact of the matter is that nuclear power plants are safer today than ever before, and they will be unquestionably safer tomorrow than today.
Nuclear Waste
Another drawback that is often associated with the use of nuclear energy is that of nuclear waste. There is a huge misunderstanding that the waste created by nuclear energy is more "dangerous" than that of other means of producing electricity. The truth of the matter is that radioactive waste from nuclear energy may be dangerous for thousands of years, while wastes resulting from the burning of coal, remains dangerous forever. The reason for this is because the toxicity of these stable elements does not decrease over time as does the toxicity of radioactive materials.
Other interesting facts concerning nuclear waste include the reduction in emissions of SO2 and NOx in countries using nuclear power is revealing. "In France, for example, during the period from 1980 to 1986, SO2 and NOX emissions in the electric power sector were reduced by 71 percent and 60 percent, respectively, making a major contribution to reductions of 56 percent and 9 percent, respectively, in total SO2 and NOX emissions in France" (Trudeou p.160). These tremendous reductions were made possible by a fourfold increase in nuclear electricity generation.
Nuclear Weapons
A major drawback to the peaceful use of civilian nuclear power for the production of electricity is that it has allowed for the production of nuclear weapons. While there is no question that nuclear energy has various benefits, the fact that nations can create nuclear weapons of mass destruction t is particularly disturbing. Atomic weapons are created through the splitting of the atom and detonated through the process of fission, while hydrogen bombs are detonated through the process of fusion. Hydrogen bombs are 1000 times more explosive than atomic bombs, thus nations with hydrogen bomb technology can destroy nations within minutes. This thought has led to intense debate over the issue of nuclear energy as an alternative source for energy.
Conclusion
Overall, nuclear energy has proven to be most beneficial to our society. As a result of this technology, the United States has decreased its dependency on foreign-imported oil. In fact, the United States saves about 12 billion dollars each year through the lack of oil it imports from other nations. Nuclear energy has also proven to be a protector of the environment because of the lack of CO2, greenhouse gasses, and other gases it emits into the atmosphere. There are, however, some major drawbacks to using nuclear energy. These drawbacks include the actual safety of using nuclear energy, the waste it produces, and the atomic weapons that nuclear energy promotes. Overall, however, we believe that the use of nuclear energy greatly outweighs any other source of energy.
Nuclear Safety
National and international anxiety about nuclear power stems directly from a fear of release of radioactive material and its consequences on people and the environment. The problem, however, is that there is a huge information gap between specialists on the exposures from nuclear power and the public. When one looks at the 1991 report by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, (UNSCEAR) one would see that the routine generation of nuclear electricity releases only negligible amounts of radioactive materials to the environment.
"The average dose any individual in the world receives each year from all of the activities in the peaceful nuclear fuel cycle is less than 0.1 percent of the inevitable exposures he or she receives from natural radiation sources, such as cosmic rays and radon emitting building materials" ( Trudeau 59).
One has to accept that electricity production can't be totally free of risk. The accident at Chernobyl, in the former USSR, was undoubtedly the most severe radioactive accident the world has experienced since the arrival of nuclear energy as an alternative source of electric power. Although there 31 deaths can be attributed to the Chernobyl accident, there are many misgivings about the true nature of the accident. For example, the people who died, including the nuclear operators and the figherfighters, received very high doses, unlike the surrounding areas that were relatively safe from exposure to high radiation levels. "Contrary to some erroneous reports, no accurate health effects from the incident have been found in the population in the Ukraine and Byelorussia. Elsewhere in Europe, countermeasures taken in many countries immediately after the accident effectively reduced the levels of exposure to the public" (Trudeau 159). One can also see from UNSCEAR data that outside of the Soviet Union, the Chernobyl accident has emitted a dose that is a fraction of what the population receives every year from natural radiation found.
One positive result from the tragic Chernobyl accident is that there is now increased awareness and commitment of the nuclear community to international cooperation in the field of safety. "Through the efforts of utilities and governments, of the IAEA and others, an international nuclear safety regime is emerging, which includes a wide range of arrangements for improving operational safety and emergency preparedness and response to accidents" (Trudeau 159).
The United States has also had a serious accident concerning the production of nuclear energy. "An accident with potential for a core meltdown occurred in the PWR at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Station Unit 2 near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on March 28, 1979" ( Glasstone 105). The three Mile Island accident appears to have resulted from a combination of design deficiencies, inadequate procedures, and operator errors. "The consequences will be far reaching" (Glasstone). Like the Chernobyl accident, some good has come from the accident at Three Mile Island. After the accident, the Electric Power Research Institute established a Nuclear Safety Analysis Center to review and analyze information relative to the safety of nuclear power plants. The fact of the matter is that nuclear power plants are safer today than ever before, and they will be unquestionably safer tomorrow than today.
Nuclear Waste
Another drawback that is often associated with the use of nuclear energy is that of nuclear waste. There is a huge misunderstanding that the waste created by nuclear energy is more "dangerous" than that of other means of producing electricity. The truth of the matter is that radioactive waste from nuclear energy may be dangerous for thousands of years, while wastes resulting from the burning of coal, remains dangerous forever. The reason for this is because the toxicity of these stable elements does not decrease over time as does the toxicity of radioactive materials.
Other interesting facts concerning nuclear waste include the reduction in emissions of SO2 and NOx in countries using nuclear power is revealing. "In France, for example, during the period from 1980 to 1986, SO2 and NOX emissions in the electric power sector were reduced by 71 percent and 60 percent, respectively, making a major contribution to reductions of 56 percent and 9 percent, respectively, in total SO2 and NOX emissions in France" (Trudeou p.160). These tremendous reductions were made possible by a fourfold increase in nuclear electricity generation.
Nuclear Weapons
A major drawback to the peaceful use of civilian nuclear power for the production of electricity is that it has allowed for the production of nuclear weapons. While there is no question that nuclear energy has various benefits, the fact that nations can create nuclear weapons of mass destruction t is particularly disturbing. Atomic weapons are created through the splitting of the atom and detonated through the process of fission, while hydrogen bombs are detonated through the process of fusion. Hydrogen bombs are 1000 times more explosive than atomic bombs, thus nations with hydrogen bomb technology can destroy nations within minutes. This thought has led to intense debate over the issue of nuclear energy as an alternative source for energy.
Conclusion
Overall, nuclear energy has proven to be most beneficial to our society. As a result of this technology, the United States has decreased its dependency on foreign-imported oil. In fact, the United States saves about 12 billion dollars each year through the lack of oil it imports from other nations. Nuclear energy has also proven to be a protector of the environment because of the lack of CO2, greenhouse gasses, and other gases it emits into the atmosphere. There are, however, some major drawbacks to using nuclear energy. These drawbacks include the actual safety of using nuclear energy, the waste it produces, and the atomic weapons that nuclear energy promotes. Overall, however, we believe that the use of nuclear energy greatly outweighs any other source of energy.
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