Health hazards of not going nuclear

Book · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1976

OSTI ID:7331094

Beckmann, P

The development of nuclear energy is acknowledged to be a risk, but comparisons to the hazards associated with other energy sources indicate that a nuclear route will be healthier and safer. Public concern has focused on the misconceptions that we can have energy without risk and that nuclear power plants can explode. Reasoned debate from the nuclear industry and the utilities has not emerged to combat the scare tactics of nuclear opponents. This book presents statistics to show that fewer disability days, injuries, industrial diseases, and deaths for uranium miners and transporters occur than in the coal industry. Pollution effects from fossil-fired plants are shown to cause 100 times the hazards of uranium plants. The environmental damage of mining uranium compared to coal is minimal, particularly if breeder reactors are used. The risks of terrorist destruction of facilities are about equal for all fuels, except that nuclear facilities are easier to protect. Safeguards and security measures are already in effect at nuclear facilities, while terrorists find many opportunities to exploit other areas of vulnerability. Nuclear power plants are also demonstrating that they are economically competitive. Arguments that conservation alone will not resolve our energy problems point out that the U.S. is second to Switzerland of the industrial nations in energy efficiency relative to Gross National Product. (92 references) (DCK)

• OSTI ID: 7331094
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
COAL INDUSTRY
HEALTH HAZARDS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
NUCLEAR INDUSTRY
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
ACCIDENTS
ECONOMICS
EFFICIENCY
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FUEL CONSUMPTION
INFORMATION
INVESTMENT
PERFORMANCE
PUBLIC RELATIONS
QUALITY ASSURANCE
REACTOR SAFETY
RELIABILITY
SAFEGUARDS
SAFETY
VIABILITY
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
HAZARDS
INDUSTRY
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
POWER PLANTS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
290600* - Energy Planning & Policy- Nuclear Energy
210800 - Nuclear Power Plants- Economics
220500 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Environmental Aspects
220900 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
016000 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Health & Safety