Sure, if
you ignore radioactive waste and the effects of accidents
By Daniel Blechynden
One of the first questions on everyone’s lips, when the
conversation turns to nuclear power, is what are the advantages and disadvantages and how safe is it.
Various media and information channels provide conflicting,
sensationalised information depending on their core values.
Depending on your point of view, nuclear reactors could be seen
as one of, if not the most environmentally friendly and safe, forms of electricity generation.
Alternatively, it could be viewed as a dated, antique technology
which has no place in modern society due to the risks it
poses.
Nuclear reactors are fuelled by highly toxic radioactive
materials, and produce waste products which are among the most dangerous
substances known to man.
Due to this, extremely strict standards are put into place by
various institutions to protect the public and the environment.
Reactor construction only commences once a complete design
incorporating climatic and geological conditions has been drafted.
While most reactors follow the same design principles,
construction techniques will vary between regions. For example, a reactor in
Japan – where earthquakes are common – will be designed differently to ones in
certain areas of Europe, where floods pose the greatest threat.
Nuclear energy and
the environment
Concerns about environmental safety arise primarily due to the toxic waste produced.
If this waste escapes containment facilities, entire regions can
be rendered inhabitable to both humans and wildlife. Species can be killed off,
and those which remain can be seriously affected by elevated radiation levels
interfering with reproductive and/or immune systems.
Current nuclear waste storage facilities are temporary and
do not meet the standards necessary for guaranteed environmental protection.
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| Chernobyl |
In the fallout from the Chernobyl disaster, trees within a
ten-kilometre radius were killed – an indicator of the serious impacts felt by
surrounding ecosystems. Around 100,000 square kilometres of land was seriously
contaminated, and increased radiation levels were measured over most of Europe.
In agricultural areas surrounding the disaster zone, huge
numbers of newborn animals were reported to show gross birth defects such as
missing or deformed limbs, missing eyes, ribs, or heads, and deformed skulls.
Radioactive particles became airborne following the disaster and
fell across Europe: workers in a nuclear facility in Sweden detected
radioactive particles on their clothing which they were able to trace back to
Chernobyl.
A major concern following the Fukushima accident is the
contamination of the ocean. A large amount of contaminated water was released
directly into the Pacific, and much more radiation has entered the ocean via
rivers.
While the effects of this pollution aren’t devastating,
radiation levels have the potential to build up in the food-chain, with high
order predators such as sharks and dolphins being affected the most.
This is worrying due to the fact that these higher order species
are usually the ones which are most threatened with extinction, and therefore
which require the greatest conservation efforts.
However, despite the obvious consequences, if a radiation leak does occur, the likelihood of such an event is minute. Modern technology ensures that all risks and chances of radiation leakage are taken into account when designing a reactor – especially after the recent disaster in Japan.
Keeping this information in mind, just how safe is nuclear power
for the environment?
While reactors can usually be constructed and operated without
issue, it is impossible to discount the disasters which have previously
occurred, and which could occur again in the future – no matter how small the
chances.
When there are safer, less damaging technologies available –
such as wind, solar, or geothermal power – they need to be used.
The
environmental risks associated with nuclear power production are too great to
ignore, and therefore it needs to be phased out in favour of cleaner, more
environmentally friendly power sources.
Author Daniel Blechynden is a contributing writer at Greentumble.com