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

[Jerry Lisantti <lisantti@PHYSICS.CENTENARY.EDU>]

I believe that a large amount of spent fuel rods are still stored in pools
at existing reactors.  Also the cost of nuclear plants is quite $$$$$$$$.
Personally I feel that research funds should be spent on alternative
methods of generating clean power.   Therefore, one does not have to
worry about the left over radioactive waste.  It seems such a shame to
leave such waste to the future generations.  I will beleive accelerator
based transmutation of such a large amount of waste when I see a
resaonable calculation or proof of principle based on reseonable
assumptions.

Jerry Lisantti                              lisantti@physics.centenary.edu
Dept. of Physics and Biophysics            http://alpha.centenary.edu
Centenary College of Louisiana
Shreveport, LA  71134
318.869.5219

On Fri, 30 Mar 2001, Rick Tarara wrote:

> ----- 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
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