- #1
Nick R
- 70
- 0
There seems to be a lot of political concern about long-lived radioactive byproducts of nuclear power stations, to the point where nuclear power has been regulated out of existence in the united states.
But the intensity of emissions from material with a long halflife should be very low. Why should a site where this waste is disposed of be dangerous for thousands of years then?
I would think that once the short lived byproducts are gone (a few years), the only health hazard from a waste site would be from the chemical properties of the waste.
Is my perception wrong and is it just that new construction on nuclear plants stopped because coal plants are simply more profitable?
But the intensity of emissions from material with a long halflife should be very low. Why should a site where this waste is disposed of be dangerous for thousands of years then?
I would think that once the short lived byproducts are gone (a few years), the only health hazard from a waste site would be from the chemical properties of the waste.
Is my perception wrong and is it just that new construction on nuclear plants stopped because coal plants are simply more profitable?