Science and Technology

Science and Technology, Part 5

Exploring the framework for a “Balanced Development” model

Ramses Rashidi

In the last four articles we talked about the role of science and technology in the development of civilizations and examined some new technologies. Here, we’re going to explore the many facets of the nuclear technology and its safety and waste issues as well as military applications.

Nuclear Technology

Even though the development of nuclear technology is fairly new on the scientific scene, it has had tremendous impact on our lives. Today, some 15% of the world’s electrical power is provided by nuclear power plants. There are a wide-variety of nuclear technology applications ranging from smoke detectors to medical diagnostic tools, x-ray and food irradiation as well as ship and submarine fuel. The military uses of nuclear technology meanwhile represent a constant threat that could totally end all forms of life on earth.

Nuclear Energy and Safety Issues

Nuclear energy is produced through the heat created by nuclear fission using enriched Uranium in a reactor. The heat is used to generate steam or pressure which, in turn, is used to drive a turbine to generate electricity. Currently the major producers of nuclear energy are the U.S. with 19%, France with 78%, and Japan with 30%. The construction of nuclear power plants that started in the 50’s, had slowed down by the latter part of 20^th century due to opposition by environmental groups and government regulations. Currently, China and India, driven by the fast pace of economic growth, are actively pursuing the development of nuclear energy programs.

Production of nuclear power poses serious safety issues. The danger of accidents in the transportation of enriched uranium or plutonium which are used as fuel in the nuclear reactors, loss of coolant which is critical to controlling the heat inside a reactor, meltdown of the reactor’s core that causes the release of highly radioactive and toxic elements (also known as China Syndrome) are among the potential dangers of any nuclear energy program. Over the years, there have been a number of accidents at nuclear power plants. The partial meltdown in the Three-Mile-Island plant in the U.S. in 1979, and the Chernobyl accident in Russia in 1986 where an explosion led to the core of the reactor being exposed which released massive amounts of radioactive material into the air represent excellent case studies of potential perils with nuclear power plants. Over 300,000 people were evacuated from the area. These accidents led to major changes being made in the design and construction of nuclear power plants to insure the safety of the process. However, it should also be noted that a number of countries have banned all forms of nuclear power.

Nuclear Weapons for Military Applications and Terrorism

The explosion of the atomic bomb in the August of 1945 in Hiroshima and Nagasaki signaled the beginning of a new era in nuclear warfare. The military applications of nuclear technology is now a major cause for concern throughout the world. According to the United Nations there are more than 16,000 nuclear weapons ready to be deployed and another 14,000 in storage. The U.S., with nearly 7000 ready missiles and 3000 in storage, Russia with 8500 on-hand and 11000 in storage, China with 400, Britain with 400, France with 350, India with 95, and Pakistan with 50 are among the major sources of nuclear missiles. Clearly, any form of a nuclear war can be catastrophic. We have the capability to destroy our planet many times over. Although the Non-Proliferation Treaty has been signed by 189 countries, it does not seem to deter countries who are officially committed to it from building up their nuclear weapons programs and stockpiles. North Korea has disregarded the treaty by testing nuclear weapons and defying international pressure. Iran, against the constant warnings of the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency, has continued the development of its nuclear program which it claims to be for civil, or peaceful purposes only.

With the potential destructive powers of nuclear weapons, there is growing concern about terrorist groups getting a hold of these weapons and trying to explode “dirty” bombs that contaminate the environment with radioactive materials. There is also fear that terrorists might attack nuclear power plants, disrupt water supplies which are critical to cooling the reactor, or stealing nuclear waste or fuel. There are countries that once were part of the Soviet Union and are now in possession of nuclear warheads. According to reports these warheads are not properly protected or secured.

Radioactive Waste

The disposal of radioactive waste is one of the most difficult issues facing the international nuclear industry. The danger of radioactive waste entering into the soil and our water sources is a grim reality of the development of the nuclear technology that we are faced with today. Over the years there have been a number of radioactive waste accidents due to heavy rainfall, flooding, transportation mishaps, abandonment and stolen nuclear waste material. Basically, there are three types of radioactive waste. Low-level waste includes clothing, rags, paper, tools, water and material that have been lightly exposed to a radioactive environment and can be buried in a shallow landfill. Medium-level waste contains higher levels of exposure such as resins, sludge and fuel attachments, or parts of a reactor that could be mixed in concrete to be disposed of in deep burial sites. High level waste is created by nuclear reactors, missile parts and highly radioactive materials which currently amounts to 12000 metric tons per year worldwide and must be properly packaged and placed in special deep burial sites.

Nuclear waste requires sophisticated treatment and long-term management of the storage facility.

Radioactive waste lifecycle could extend from 10,000 to 1,000,000 years. Currently there are numerous sites throughout the world where nuclear waste is being stored. There are some 20 countries that use nuclear technology for energy and other uses. Thus, the management of nuclear waste gets to be a fairly complex issue. The nuclear waste repository in Yucca Mountain in Nevada is the main deep burial site in the U.S.. The site poses challenges in terms of the extreme distance from different parts of the country, and the possibility of accidents during transportation. There have been talks of creating international burial sites in Australia which have been met with fierce objections. The Canadian Government is considering Deep Geological Disposal under the Canadian Shield area. Germany is still researching possibilities. Finland has started building a huge vault and the EU is in negotiations on a single site which can be used by EU member countries.

A sea-based option to bury radioactive waste is not being considered at this time since it could be highly problematic and the potential for widespread ecological damage is great. However, in the future as we run out of options this could come under consideration again. There is also a proposal for reactors that consume nuclear waste and transmute it to other less harmful nuclear waste. The U.S. is part of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) which actively promotes research on transmutation technologies to reduce the problem of nuclear waste treatment. Space disposal is also an option that could solve a number of issues as we remove the waste from the earth’s environment. But there are major concerns over the possible explosion of the launch vehicle and the number of launches that would be needed.

From a balanced development perspective, until nuclear technology reaches the stage where its safety and disposal of waste can be properly managed, we need to look at alternative energy sources that are environmentally friendly and safe to use. The development of solar energy, bio-fuels, geothermal, hydro power, wind power, wave power and tidal power are constantly being improved and with proper and adequate funding and research can be implemented as a local initiative by tapping into our natural resources. In terms of the military use of nuclear technology, there must be strict worldwide enforcement of the Non-Proliferation Treaty on nuclear weapons and the related harmful technologies.

In the next articles we will further examine science and technology. Particularly, we’ll focus on space technology and its impact on the development process.

Ramses Rashidi (ramses@cbdus.org) is the founder and director of Center for Balanced Development.

The center is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing resources and services to foster global balance in social, personal, ecological and economic development.