Kim­Tuyen Le B4
Nuclear Power Plant Persuasive Essay
Nuclear power has been around since the first atomic plant was made operational on
December 2, 1942. These plants are an efficient way of producing electricity. They can power every electronic item we use today, from TV’s to computers and everything in between. As great as they may seem, how do we deal with the radioactive waste left over? The answer is, we don’t.
Until we find a better way of dealing with this waste, we should hold off on converting fossil fuel plants to nuclear. As of today, there is no real way to dispose of nuclear waste. While theories of ridding our earth of this harmful radioactive substance vary, the many attempts, have included everything from burying it, to sending it out of our orbit into space. The most popular method to date seems to be “long term storage.” But what exactly does the “long term storage” mean? It means storing air tight barrels of nuclear waste in facilities until they lose their potency. As good as this method may sound, the process can take up to 20,000 years. This means that the waste storage facilities will have to be secured from robbers, terrorists, and the effects of nature for a period of time in which not only their designers will die, but possibly the countries in which they are located in could crumble. Other, more reasonable methods include transmutation, a process in which toxic elements are transformed into less toxic substances. For instance, plutonium