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To: wirestripper
My own feelings about this do not over-ride my support of the need for nuclear powered reactors. However, I am very conserned about the need to find a way to permanently dispose of the waste. The moon sounds like a answer to me.(currently too expensive though)

Well, those are thoughtful comments. Thank you. The problems of a materials production facility are, in some ways, of a different nature than those you might encounter at a nuclear power facility. I mean, radiation is radiation and dose is dose, but often the nature of the materials and pathways are different. For example, release of a noble gas, such as krypton, in a fuel damage event in a power reactor, generally results in a submersion dose only. The materials doesn't accumulate in organs, and the normal ventilation process through the lungs prevents concentration of any large volumes of materials within the body cavity itself. However, for a materials production facility, you have different issues. Internal doses over time loom as a more significant issue because some things done at those places can accumulate and cause higher long-term exposures.

Regarding the waste disposal issue, what are your thoughts on the results of the studies of Yucca Mountain? The data I have seen so far looks very promising. You're looking at very stable formations at depth, with erosion rates of the strata on the order of centimeters per geological epoch. Not much there to move things around, and even if there were it wouldn't go very far. On the time scales they were indicating, the half-life of 239Pu was insignificant. It worked it out to something like an activity reduction factor of 1.0E67. Essentially you get down to one radioactive atom left.

313 posted on 02/01/2002 10:59:01 AM PST by chimera
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To: chimera
I think the idea at yucca is viable, from what I have read. I do not purport to be expert or even knowledgable on this issue however. The fear of the locals in that area is a fact that is difficult to manage in any effective way and I understand it. I live 50 miles from the Pine Bluff Arsenal. LOL! You should see the fear in the locals around this facility.

I have always been concerned about a belief that massive amounts of radioactive waste could somehow inter react to create a cascade nuclear fission reaction on it's own. Sounds tinfoil but what are your thoughts about this and can dampers be installed to prevent this from occuring.(even if theoretical)

315 posted on 02/01/2002 11:34:33 AM PST by Cold Heat
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