Nuclear Waste: How Safe Is Safe Enough?

As the debate rages over using Nevada's Yucca Mountain as a nuclear waste site, critcs argue that it's impossible to assess the long-term impacts.

1 minute read

April 22, 2002, 5:00 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"A [National Research Council] team... noted a more troubling issue for those looking to science for absolute answers on the site's suitability. Assessing Yucca Mountain's performance, they said, "may be beyond the analytical capabilities of any scientific and engineering team." The reason: It's too hard to predict what will happen over tens of thousands of years, given the diverse processes – such as volcanic activity, seepage, or changes in rock chemistry – at the site."

Thanks to Tom Collins

Friday, April 19, 2002 in The Christian Science Monitor

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