The beginning
Nuclear power is the world's most environmentally efficient and readily available source of energy. Nuclear power is the most efficient in terms of environmental aspects and ease of production. Apart from hydro power, geothermal or solar, nuclear power is better than only wind power. But that doesn't necessarily mean nuclear power is the long-term energy solution. Because radioactive elements are the most toxic and harmful substances on earth.
Accidents at nuclear power plants and Nuclear power plant
(Nuclear disaster at Chernobyl, Ukraine
Nuclear disaster at Fukushima, Japan)
Nuclear power plants have their advantages as well as their disadvantages. There have been two nuclear power plant accidents in the world. From which a large amount of radiation was emitted. In 1986, an accident occurred at a nuclear power plant in Chernobyl, Ukraine. And then in 2011, a similar story happened in Japan, which happened at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Fukushima. 31 people died in the Chernobyl nuclear accident. And later, about 4,000 people who were exposed to radiation died of cancer within a few days. On the other hand, 2 people died there in the nuclear accident in Fukushima and 130 people who were exposed to radiation later died of cancer. At the same time, let us say that these two places are still extremely radioactive and unfit for human habitation. About 100,000 people lost their homes. Economically, the damage to Chernobyl was about 250 billion US dollars. Which is more than the total GDP of Ukraine. On the other hand, the loss in Japan's accident is 500 billion US dollars. Which is equal to 10% of their total GDP. At present, the amount of uranium that is being used daily, there is enough uranium left on earth for the next 230 years. Many say nuclear power is the only simple and fast solution to producing energy with low carbon emissions. In the case of nuclear power, uranium shortage, nuclear power plant accidents are not such a big problem.
(Nuclear waste)
Nuclear Waste
One of the biggest problems with nuclear power is nuclear waste. The process by which electricity is produced in all nuclear power plants in the world is the nuclear fission reaction. Uranium used in nuclear power plants may not produce enough thermal energy to produce commercially viable electricity after 3 to 5 years. As a result, they were expelled from the power plant. Then, after several years in the cooling base, when they are taken out, they are called nuclear waste. After the uranium is removed from nuclear power plants, they may not get much hotter. But this uranium emits very harmful radioactive rays.
But how long will this harmful radiation be emitted? The answer to this question is that these rays will continue to emit these rays for millions of years to come. So now the important question is what do we do with this nuclear waste that emits radioactive rays? The answer is simple because they need to be kept in a place for life where they will be isolated and undisturbed. But the matter is not so simple. There is currently no permanent system in the world to safely store nuclear waste for long periods of time. Earth's generated nuclear waste is temporarily stored. Most of the nuclear waste is stored in water reservoirs. Which is not a permanent solution. Water acts as a shield for radioactive rays released from nuclear waste. As a result, the cheapest and simplest method of storing nuclear waste is water tanks. Water tanks are mainly installed inside nuclear power plants. Uranium bundles are taken out of the reactor and placed directly into this water tank.
(Temporary solutions for nuclear waste)
The uranium rods in the uranium bundle are constantly heating due to which the water in the water becomes hot. For this, the temperature of the cooling system is kept below the boiling point of the water at all times. This cooling system requires electricity. If for any reason this power supply is interrupted, the cooling system will stop. As a result, the water in the cooling base will evaporate and fly away. When the water that traps the radioactive rays evaporates, the radioactive rays will be released into the environment. Fukushima in Japan is exactly what happened.
Uranium bundles are cooled in tank for 10 to 12 years. Then this nuclear waste is covered with thick concrete lining. So that radioactive rays cannot escape from that nuclear waste. But it is not a permanent solution. They may be affected by earthquake or any other natural calamity. These require constant security and maintenance.
(Permanent solution to nuclear waste
Tunnel in Finland for nuclear waste)
If they are not properly maintained by humans, they can easily spread radiation in the environment. Hence, a permanent system is needed for long-term storage of nuclear waste. Of course, Finland has started this work. Finland is a country that has never had an earthquake so far. Not even exposed to tsunami. Finland can be called the most protected place in terms of natural disasters.
The world's first storage facility for nuclear waste is being built on the shores of the Baltic Sea in Finland. Which is about 1500 feet deep from the ground. They have already finished digging the ground. And starting to contain nuclear waste from 2020. There are very long tunnels dug with numerous holes. These pits are being filled with soil to keep the nuclear waste. In this manner, the risk of leaking nuclear waste into groundwater is close to zero. This tunnel will be filled with nuclear waste by 2120. It will then be sequestered away in a safe place for millions of years. As the wastes are very deep in the soil and it is very difficult to reach them. As a result there will be no more major concerns about nuclear waste. But one thing we have to think about is human nature. If one finds an object from thousands of years ago, it is natural to be curious to open it. But this matter will be dangerous in the case of nuclear waste. We have already done this.
(Think for the next generation)
For example, think of the pyramids of Egypt. We open mummies from the pyramids of Egypt because we are curious. Roman civilization was the most powerful civilization in the world. That Roman civilization was destroyed. At the same time, many other civilizations were destroyed. So it cannot be asserted that our current human civilization will be eternal. Maybe our civilization will be destroyed at some point. As a result, thousands of years later, if the people of any civilization reach the nuclear waste and try to open it out of curiosity. That would be extremely dangerous. Some messages will be left there in consideration of this danger in the distant future. Where it will be said how unnecessary and dangerous these nuclear wastes are. And that message is given below.
(Some picture of that message)
What it says here means something like "This place is dishonorable. There is nothing even valuable here. What is here is very dangerous. This is a warning message about the dangers of this radiation. The danger is still there as it was in our time. It is harmful to the body which will cause death. Let these objects be left undisturbed as they are." This message will be translated into six languages - English, Arabic, Chinese, French and Russian. There is a promising reason to translate these into six languages. At least one of these languages will survive or be understood for the next two to three thousand years. But after 100 thousand years or more the terms are unlikely to be intelligible. As a result, this same message will be presented through images without the use of language. Images will contain some unattractive structures like horns, gazelles, triangles. Which would indicate that what is here is not good. There will also be diagrams showing how nuclear waste is produced, what it behaves like, or where it is stored. And immediately these images will be placed where it will be said how nuclear waste affects people.
But many experts think that there is no need to identify this place separately. Because the pictorial message placed in this place may make it more interesting in the future. Which will increase rather than reduce the dangers of the distant future.