Nuclear Waste Disposal Problem is Unsolved

Nuclear energy has extremely good potential, but as we all know, it has very bad and destructive potential as well. Most people are aware of the dangers of nuclear bombs and missiles because of the after-math from World War II and the scares of the Cold War. But many people don’t know that nuclear energy also posses’ dangers that are outside of war. One way nuclear energy can harm us is through radioactive disposal sites. Scientists and politicians still are uncertain as to what to do with and how to dispose of Plutonium, but one thing is not uncertain, and that is the potential damage that could occur if disposed of improperly. One way to dispose of radioactive substances though is to cool spent fuel rods in water for several decades until the radioactivity is reduced. Then the fuel rod can be stored in a dry storage like a concrete canister.

Vitrify: convert something into glass or a glasslike substance, typically by heating it.

I find the nuclear realm of things to be extremely interesting partly because of movies and TV shows. But I also find it interesting because of the amount of people nuclear energy can affect, especially when the substances that give off the energy are so small. Also, three years ago I had the opportunity to go to Japan and for one day I got to visit Hiroshima and the memorial museum that is in the city.

Chemistry in Your Life: Second Edition. By: Colin Baird. Pg. 638-640