How to Use Nuclear Technologies with the Least Harm - Article Example

Rashed Aldarwish Level 6 4 27 2009 Outline Thesis ment: Nuclear technologies should be phased out as soon as possible. I) Introduction A) Hook: Nuclear technology is fatal to humans if not handled properly. B) Thesis Statement: Nuclear technologies should be phased out as soon as possible. II) Cons of Nuclear Power A) Toxic Waste B) Accidents and Meltdowns C) Nuclear Weapons D) Environmental Issues III) Pros of Nuclear Power A) Nuclear Safety Records B) Medicinal Purposes IV) On the Other Hand V) Conclusion Nuclear technology is fatal to humans if not handled properly. Despite this fact, the nuclear power has become a normal part of everyday life. Nuclear power and medicines have revolutionized their respective industries. While the nuclear industry has proclaimed its value and safety, the fact still remains nuclear technology is fatal. Do the positives of using nuclear technologies outweigh the negatives of an accident, terrorist possession, or even weapon possibilities? Other greener technologies like wind power, hydroelectric, and other earth friendly fuel should be researched and used until nuclear technologies are a thing of the past. The harm nuclear technologies cause to the earth cannot easily be repaired, whether intentional as in a nuclear weapon, or unintentional as in a nuclear accident. Nuclear technologies should be phased out as soon as possible. Nuclear power is used daily for electricity, medicine, and power for marine vessels. Nuclear power used for electricity and marine vessels are gathered by nuclear fusion. Nuclear fusion is a process where like charged atomic nuclei connect to create a heavier nucleus (Brain and Lamb, n.d.). In simpler terms atoms are being split to form energy. For electricity, the energy creates heat to warm up water which powers a water driven generator (Brain and Lamb, n.d.). Nuclear medicine is used by giving a patient radiation to fight cancer cells and so forth. X-ray technology also uses radiation. Although used daily, this radiation can pose a greater threat to the patient than the illness they are fighting. While these uses of nuclear power give humans positive benefits, the real and potential threat is great. Cons of Nuclear Power Since the creation of the first nuclear power plant the disposing of the toxic by product has been a problem. Nuclear power plants pose a danger to surrounding communities due to the toxic waste and potential exposure of radiation due to an accident. Nuclear power plants produce twenty metric tons of “high-level radioactive waste” (Brain and Lamb, n.d.). This amount is for one nuclear power plant. “When you take into account every nuclear plant on Earth, the combined total climbs to roughly 2,000 metric tons yearly” (Brain and Lamb, n.d.). This is only the high level radioactive waste, not the low level of radioactive waste in terms of parts, suits, and other items that come into contact with the radiation (Brain and Lamb (n.d.)). Radioactive waste cannot be recycled, or even made safe during a human’s lifetime. It takes thousands and thousands of years before radioactive waste is no longer radioactive. This high-level of radioactive waste must be stored safely away from humans during this radioactive period. “Currently, the nuclear industry lets waste cool for years before mixing it with glass and storing it in massive cooled, concrete structures” (Brain and Lamb (n.d.)). Hopefully in the future this nuclear waste can be made safe for human exposure, but no method has proven effective currently. The reality is today, “this waste has to be maintained, monitored and guarded to prevent the materials from falling into the wrong hands” (Brain and Lamb, n.d.). If storing only two thousand metric tons, it might be possible, but nuclear reactors have been around since the sixties. If only considering the past twenty years, the figure jumps to forty thousand metric tons. This does not include future radioactive waste, or the future power plants that will open creating even more radioactive waste. The danger of human exposure to this radioactive waste rises as the cubic tons grow. Accidents and Meltdowns Another danger to human population from nuclear power is a possible meltdown at a nuclear facility. An example would be the Chernobyl. In April 1986, a horrible accident occurred in the Ukraine, a country located between Russia and Romania (World Nuclear Association, April 2009). The Ukrainian city of Chernobyl had a nuclear power plant. Due to serious flaws in the system, a group of nighttime workers running a routine test caused the most serious meltdown of a nuclear reactor to date. The result was a horrible tragedy. In the beginning, only thirty workers lost their lives, but the toll would rise in the aftermath (Medvedev, 1992, p. 9). The nuclear radiation poisoning traveled through the city, killing an initial two hundred-nine people (World Nuclear Association, April 2009). Russia has tried to keep the exact amount of deaths caused by Chernobyl quiet. However twenty years later people in that area are still dying of cancer at a higher rate, not to mention the birth defects in the region (Medvedev, 1992, p. 166). To make matters worse, the reactor emitted radiation for six months until entombed in four hundred thousand meters of reinforced concrete (Medvedev, 1992, p. 80). Some might contributed the accident in Chernobyl to Russian engineering, but two accidents in the United States show that a meltdown of a nuclear reactor can impact the citizens in America. The first occurred at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station in Pennsylvania (Gray and Rosen, 2003, p.1). An estimated thirteen million curies of radioactive gases, but less than twenty curies of the particularly hazardous iodine-131 were released into the air around Three Mile Island (Gray and Rosen, 2003, p. 269). The accident occurred when a pilot operated relief valve got stuck in the open position releasing large quantities of coolant (Gray and Rosen, 2003, p. 30). The workers were able to cool the reactor and prevent a full meltdown, but the events in Chernobyl could have happened on Three Mile Island. The first and only deadly nuclear reactor meltdown occurred at an experimental reactor near Idaho Falls. On January 3, 1961 three military personnel were killed in America’s first nuclear accident (McKeown, 2003, p. 123). The experimental reactor SL-1 suffered a meltdown when a control rod was taken out improperly (McKeown, 2003, p. 26). The high intensity of the radiation forced the military to bury their personnel in lead coffins (McKeown, 2003, p. 141). The matter was contained, but could have impacted Idaho and the surrounding population for years. Nuclear Weapons Countries can be impacted by nuclear power as well as individual populations through the threat of weapons created under this power. The threat of nuclear war has threatened the world since the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Although Russia and the U.S. have the majority of nuclear weapons, other countries are developing this technology. Iraq was working on a nuclear plan under Saddam Hussein. The U.S. thought the Iraqis were close to having nuclear power. Although Hussein attempted to get nuclear power, his plots failed unknown to the U.S. North Korea and Iran are currently trying to obtain nuclear power and weapons. If used, nuclear weapons have the potential to create a permanent wasteland on the earth. The greatest fears for the governments around the world are radical terrorists obtaining nuclear weapons. Osama bin Laden has been trying to obtain nuclear weapons since 1992 (Allison, 2005, p. 3). Countries that have made bin Laden upset worry that one day he might gain possession of a nuclear weapon (Allison, 2005, p. 5). 9/11 would look like a minor incident compared to a nuclear weapon in an urban area. Former Soviet Republics like Chechnya not only have nuclear weapons, but are sympathetic to bin Laden’s cause against the West. This generates fear worldwide among the countries that have nuclear weapons along with those who do not. Environmental Issues The environmental impact of radioactive waste and meltdowns are disastrous. The land around Chernobyl is still radioactive. The Chernobyl accident impacted hundreds of miles around the reactor meltdown zone. Radiation causes not only human death, but makes the land unusable by humans. A ghost town has surrounded the area around Chernobyl. There is no known cure for this amount of radiation. All humans can try is cover up and time. Life on earth can be destroyed by too many nuclear accidents or weapons. Pros of Nuclear Power The benefits of nuclear power are the reason most countries continue to research and obtain this energy. The first reason nuclear power was researched for was to find a clean source of energy. Nuclear energy does provide many with electricity. It is a reliable source of electricity. If used correctly, the nuclear energy produced can be cleaner than other methods used today. Nuclear Safety Record The nuclear industry has learned from past mistakes. For example, “The absence of secondary containment structures in Russian nuclear power plants allowed radioactive material to escape in Chernobyl” (Brain and Lamb, n.d.). Today nuclear power plants have outer structures made of concrete to help reduce the possibility of meltdowns. “This concrete structure is strong enough to survive the kind of massive damage that might result from earthquakes or a crashing jet airliner” (Brian and Lamb, (n.d.)). The technology is advancing as knowledge about nuclear power grows. The mistakes of the past have paved way for a lower probability of accidents in the future. With the proper training of personnel, nuclear reactors can be considered safe. Other than the two accidents mentioned above, no major meltdown or radiation leakage has occurred in the United States. In every case of a nuclear reactor accident, Three Mile Island, Idaho Falls, and Chernobyl, the reactors did not fail, but human error was at fault. If employees are trained to react in times of crisis, accidents and meltdowns can be prevented. The population surrounding a nuclear facility also needs to be informed on emergency techniques as well. If used correctly, nuclear power is the best alternative available today for energy. Medicinal Purposes As far as the medical purposes, radiation has cured many cases of cancer. Without the technology of x-rays, the medical field would not be as prepared. By giving a dying man poison, such as chemotherapy, that might save their lives is better than just letting the patient die. The potential outcome of radiation treatment far outweighs the drawbacks. Chemotherapy has worked, so instead of letting patients die, doctors should use this technology. On the Other Hand The energy being produced must bring energy to big cities. Thus nuclear reactors must be located in urban areas. This leads to the possibility of nuclear active waste or radiation due to a meltdown or accident to impact a great number of people. Nuclear energy might be the most efficient energy now, but new energies are being researched everyday. Solar and wind energy is a possible alternative to nuclear power (Smith, 2006, p. 26). These alternative energies do not have as many negative impacts on humans or their environment as nuclear energy. Instead of investing more into a dangerous and possible deadly source of energy like nuclear power, more green sources of energy need to be explored. The risk of exposure through a meltdown or improperly stored radiation is too risky. The radioactive storage problem that will be left for the next generations is also a problem. Nuclear power is to risky for the human race to take lightly. The drawbacks of medicinal radiation are the side effects. The wrong exposure of x-rays can result in a miscarriage for pregnant women (Healthgoods, 2007). Chemotherapy makes a patient’s hair fall out, along with nausea and other side effects. Radiation can even speed up the death of a cancer patient. There are no guarantees. A better cure needs to be sought after, instead of just relying on radiation. Right now medicinal radiation is all that is available, but with further research new drugs and treatments that do not have the negative side effects can be found. It just takes research into new methods instead of relying on radiation. Nuclear power should not be used due to the negative impact on individuals, countries, and the environment as a whole. One accident can devastate miles and miles around the accident site. Chernobyl will not be habitable for thousands and thousands of years. Humans can not abuse their environment with nuclear accidents and expect life to last long on earth. Medicines should help people overcome an illness, not make them sicker. Nuclear power needs to be replaced with greener technologies. Ethanol, wind, solar, and other energy forms need to be examined. Fossil fuels might not be the answer, but neither is nuclear power. The potential for disaster is too great. Nuclear technologies should be phased out as soon as possible in favor of earth friendly energy. References Allison, G. (2005). Nuclear terrorism: The ultimate preventable catastrophe. New York: Holt Paperbacks. Brain, M. and R. Lamb. (n.d.). How nuclear power works. How Stuff Works. Accessed 3 May 2009 from http://www.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-power.htm Gray, M. and I. Rosen. (2003). The warning: Accident at Three Mile Island: A nuclear omen for the age of terror. New York: W.W. Norton & Co. Healthgoods. (2007). X-ray radiation and pregnancy. Healthgoods. Accessed 8 May 2009 from http://www.healthgoods.com/education/Health_Information/Pregnancy/x_ray_and_pregnancy.htm Makhijani, A. (2007). Carbon-free and nuclear-free: A roadmap for U.S. energy policy. New York: RDR Books. McKeown, W. (2003). Idaho Falls: The untold story of Americas first nuclear accident. New York: Ecw Press. Medvedev, Z.A. (1992). The legacy of Chernobyl. New York: W.W. Norton & Co. Smith, B. (2006). Carbon-free And nuclear-free: A roadmap for U.S. energy policy. New York: RDR Books. Read More