the_bmac wrote in :
Reactor accidents have shown us how serious this issue is. Anyone in
North America who was alive when Chernobyl melted down has strontium
and cesium isotopes in their bone, teeth and thyroid tissues from that
accident. But even more problematic is the storage of so-called
"spent" fuel pellets. With half-lives in the hundred thousand year
range, more thought needs to be given to disposal methods. IT may be
that there is no viable way to deal with reactor waste. Then there is
the issue of cost. Reactors have short life spans. What to do with a
reactor core that is no longer viable after years of being bombarded
by radiation? Big $$$$$$$ to replace. True, nuclear fuels produce
obscene amounts of energy relative to its mass, but...
http://www.bellona.org/
Here, drop by the nuclear section of Bellona's website and look at the
REALLY scary stuff the nuclear industry, worldwide, rather you didn't
know about. Bellona is a Norwegian organisation...nervous neighbors to
the Russian nuclear navy/power plant industry. I don't blame them. A
number of major nuclear accidents involving nuclear reactors in Russia
have simply been ignored and covered up. Hell, some guys from Bellona
walked right up to abandoned, but active, nuclear submarines right in
Russia and the photos they took are on the website.
Pay particular attention to the Bellona webpages about the nuclear
refueling industry, which is pretty much abandoned wasteland, some of
which is so radioactive it makes Chernobyl look innocent, except for the
initial explosion. Whole areas of Russia are contaminated and abandoned,
not just Chernobyl. Highly radioactive spent fuel rods from Russian subs
are sitting in rotting transport cases in open fields, in the weather,
constantly contaminating the environment around them.
As you view these pictures, pay careful attention to any pictures that
appear "fogged" or have white spots on them from the intense radiation
where the picture was taken exposing the film right inside the camera
case.
Most disturbing....and unreported, of course.
Larry
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