I'm opposed to any new nuclear power plants. Here are some facts I'm aware of:
1. Many pro-nuclear people like to mention that European and Japan use nuclear power. Most European Union nations have a goal of phasing out their nuclear power plants. ('What Every American Should Know About Europe," by Melissa Rossi)
2. The world's largest fast breeder reactor, in France, is plagued by leaks and technical problems. ('What Every American Should Know About Europe," by Melissa Rossi)
3. There are two American manufacturers of nuclear fuel, one in Kentucky and one Ohio. It takes high amounts of energy that comes from coal-powered plants to process nuclear fuel. The plant that processes nuclear fuel in Ohio uses a major percentage of the electricity consumed in Ohio. The processing uses so much energy and creates so much pollution that it negates anything clean and efficient about nuclear power.
4. Wherever mining for radioactive elements is done, it creates environmentally toxic disaster areas.
5. No power company can afford to build a new nuclear power plant without huge federal subsidies and tax breaks. This is corporate welfare.
6. When it comes to making profits by private business and corporations, shortcuts are taken that result in sacrificing the environment, public health and safety. That is the nature of the beast.
7. While some claim no one in America has died as result of nuclear power, people have died during the mining and processing of nuclear fuel and cancer rates are disproportionately higher in mining areas, processing areas and downwind from nuclear power plants.
8. Nuclear power plants are safer (a relative term) in the European Union nations and Japan because they have managed market economic systems, while we have a free market economic system. The basic difference is that a managed market economic system is based on common sense, while a free market economic system is based on greed. In a managed market economic system, the environment, labor laws and unions and other concerns are just as important as profits. In a free market economic system, profit is the only thing that is important and the environmental regulations, labor laws, unions and other concerns are nuisances to be ignored as much as possible.
These are facts that pro-nuclear advocates may not be aware of, or ignore.
1. Many pro-nuclear people like to mention that European and Japan use nuclear power. Most European Union nations have a goal of phasing out their nuclear power plants. ('What Every American Should Know About Europe," by Melissa Rossi)
2. The world's largest fast breeder reactor, in France, is plagued by leaks and technical problems. ('What Every American Should Know About Europe," by Melissa Rossi)
3. There are two American manufacturers of nuclear fuel, one in Kentucky and one Ohio. It takes high amounts of energy that comes from coal-powered plants to process nuclear fuel. The plant that processes nuclear fuel in Ohio uses a major percentage of the electricity consumed in Ohio. The processing uses so much energy and creates so much pollution that it negates anything clean and efficient about nuclear power.
4. Wherever mining for radioactive elements is done, it creates environmentally toxic disaster areas.
5. No power company can afford to build a new nuclear power plant without huge federal subsidies and tax breaks. This is corporate welfare.
6. When it comes to making profits by private business and corporations, shortcuts are taken that result in sacrificing the environment, public health and safety. That is the nature of the beast.
7. While some claim no one in America has died as result of nuclear power, people have died during the mining and processing of nuclear fuel and cancer rates are disproportionately higher in mining areas, processing areas and downwind from nuclear power plants.
8. Nuclear power plants are safer (a relative term) in the European Union nations and Japan because they have managed market economic systems, while we have a free market economic system. The basic difference is that a managed market economic system is based on common sense, while a free market economic system is based on greed. In a managed market economic system, the environment, labor laws and unions and other concerns are just as important as profits. In a free market economic system, profit is the only thing that is important and the environmental regulations, labor laws, unions and other concerns are nuisances to be ignored as much as possible.
These are facts that pro-nuclear advocates may not be aware of, or ignore.
