Similarly, nuclear power provides an essential and practical way towards hydrogen economy and pure water. As automobile manufactures are on the way of producing vehicles running on clean hydrogen fuel and as drinking water is rare, by using excess heat from the nuclear reactors, an affordable, emission-free hydrogen production and desalinization of sea water to produce fresh water could be worked like dream.-62
Next biggest advantage to nuclear energy is its use in medicine. Treatment technology such as cancer therapy, CAT scan, MRI machines and irradiation of food use nuclear energy. In the same way, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in presence of nuclear energy makes the rapid identification of various virus variants of dangerous pandemic diseases like avian flu. Similar methods are under invention for the fast identification of H5N1 virus of bird flu as through the present methods it takes more than seven days to do the same.-80
However, negative aspect is again alarming. First greatest disaster occurs from nuclear power plants is “Meltdown” where the uranium rods go uncontrollable reaction owing to lack of cooling agent and thus melt exposing dangerous radiations. Three Mile Island Incident of The US in 1979 and Chernobyl incident of USSR in 1986 are the epitomes. In former meltdown incident, it was immediately taken under control but in latter, meltdown went uncontrollable and thus radiations killed 31 people immediately and thousands whole over Europe after prolonged effects.-83
Second, detrimental problem is the nuclear waste disposal. The byproducts of uranium remain radioactive for thousands of year. Once it affects containment vessel, the consequence would be deadly. Again, the underground sites developed for disposal are supposed to be filled within months which show shortages of storage sites in the world.-50
Furthermore, many scholars and scientists even claim that nuclear plants and the wastes containing plutonium have been the prominent source for nuclear arms- nearly 27000 being in the hands of major powers at present, are not safe and vulnerable to terrorist attacks which are the most controversial issues at the contemporary international world.-49
But in fact, today various weaknesses have been corrected. Containment vessels are designed to withstand extremes like earthquakes or a hit by a jumbo jet. So, they possess no danger from meltdown and terrorist attacks today. Likewise, a nuclear power plant produces just 1 cubic meter of waste annually which is far less. After 10 years, the byproducts are 1000 times less radioactive and after 500 years they are less radioactive than the natural uranium they are derived from. Again, the wastes are reprocessed to release further energy making them less radioactive, thus helping in easy and safe disposal of the fission products.-94
Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty have been already signed in 1968 and 1996 respectively to abstain every country from nuclear weapons. In case of safety, today nuclear plants are made safe. As Three Mile Island had containment vessel, so was the successful story where as Chernobyl did not have, so the incident was termed to be waiting to happen.-59
Rational use of nuclear energy is the panacea to present energy, environment and water degradation and it is our responsibility to do it. Terming nuclear against humanity is completely false. Every form of energy has certain risks but the thing is we all need to try our best to minimize the risks and misuses. Again, banning nuclear energy doesn’t justify nuclear proliferation. So, every country in the world needs to unite and cooperate in deleting the hazards of nuclear energy for vesting this generation and the generation to come with clean, green and safe everlasting nuclear energy.-91
Total words in the essay-866
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References:
- IAEA Bulletin 48/1, Nuclear RE-think- Patrick Moore
- THE ENERGY SOURCES AND NUCLEAR ENERGY,A point of view of the Belgian Catholic Church by Dr Christian Hoenraet
- http://www.alcdsb.on.ca/~mart/junior/2001gr5/nuclear_energykh.htm
