Re: Worrying about the long term (was Global Warming (NUCLEAR))

[Rick Tarara <rbtarara@SPRYNET.COM>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "David T. Marx" <dtmarx@SIU.EDU>
To: <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu>
Sent: Friday, March 30, 2001 4:13 PM
Subject: Re: Worrying about the long term (was Global Warming (NUCLEAR))


> I think John made a good point, but I don't think people are thinking
> of the long term storage.  People are concerned with transiting
> active waste from storage places around the country to a
> centralized facility, such as Yucca mountain.  How do we deal with
> a rail or truck accident that spreads active waste in a community?
> Another issue has to do with leakage at present storage facilities
> into ground water, etc.

But we must realize that all that material has already been transported
around the country--to get to the plants in the first place.  The
transportation of nuclear weapons and weapons grade materials has been even
more prevalent.

I was told by someone in the industry that the vehicles and the security for
moving such materials are EXTREMELY secure.  I did see a Sandia film once
that showed a locomotive hitting the containment vessel used in shipping at
40 mph without rupturing the vessel.

Rick

**************************************************
Richard W. Tarara
Associate Professor of Physics
Department of Chemistry & Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556
219-284-4664
rtarara@saintmarys.edu

FREE Physics Instructional Software
www.saintmarys.edu/~rtarara

Win9.x, WinNT/2000,  Win3.x, Dos, Mac, and PowerMac
New:  Energy Simulator updates.
Windows and Mac  CD-ROMs  now available.
****************************************************