The difference between naturally occurring radioactive materials and nuke
waste is ONLY in terms of the level of radiation coming out of it. The type
and effect of the radiation is absolutely the same. If you dilute the spent
fuel rods enough, the resulting radiation field is NO different than the
naturally occurring fuel. 

AND

It actually has less total radiation over time. Some of the materials are
producing a higher RATE of radiation, but they have a shorter half life, so
over all, they will produce less total energy than the original substance. 

--
James.

-----Original Message-----
From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu [mailto:piclist-bounces@mit.edu] On Behalf Of
wouter van ooijen
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 14:15
To: 'Microcontroller discussion list - Public.'
Subject: RE: [OT] Just wondering..

> The POINT is that it is better to have the radioactive 
> material in a place were we KNOW about it rather than in a 
> place where mother nature (bless her homicidal heart) can 
> belch it up at us at some unpredictable point in the future. 

You still don't get it: what we must store after using it is totally
different from what we mined. I would *not* mind the natural stuff being
stored in Yucca mountain or even in a clay pit in the Netherlands. But
real nuclar waste (what remaings of the fuel rods after their usefull
life) is a totally different piece of cake.

> And by avoiding nuke power, we subject ourselves to coal 
> power, "natural" gas power, and oil power

Only if you accept the premise that we must use the currently 'accepted'
amount of energy ( and at the current price).

Wouter van Ooijen

-- -------------------------------------------
Van Ooijen Technische Informatica: www.voti.nl
consultancy, development, PICmicro products
docent Hogeschool van Utrecht: www.voti.nl/hvu
 
 

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