3 ms·

You must mean tomorrow, because today, we just keep the stuff around in intermediate facilities.

by morsch 5y ago

gambiting 5y ago
The thing is, we know how to store nuclear waste in such a way that it's a solved problem forever. Literally gone and not a worry for any generation from now until forever. It's called deep borehole disposal[0]. Drill a hole all the way down to Earth's crust, put your waste there = it's not coming back on anything shorter than geological timescale. " It is estimated that only 800 boreholes would be sufficient to store the entire existing nuclear waste stockpile of the USA"[0] From what I understand it isn't being done for two reasons: 1) cost 2) once stored this way it's almost impossible to retrieve. Spent nuclear fuel is kept around partially because we know we might be able to recycle it into fresh fuel in the future. If we dump it in a hole deep in the ground it's gone forever. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_borehole_disposal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_borehole_disposal
- fomine3 5y ago
  The problem is that there's no place where not anyone's backyard. Even the big US failed for Yucca Mountain.
  - gambiting 5y ago
    You can live on top of the borehole though, no issues. It's not like the area has to be cordoned off forever.
    - fomine3 5y ago
      Technically true, but not work for most people's feelings.
chorsestudios 5y ago
Doesn't seem much different then designating space for landfills and other forms of waste. Sewage treatment plants aren't pleasant but provide great benefit to society.
junon 5y ago
We can currently refine waste down to levels safe enough to keep out of containment facilities, and can dispose of it by landfill in a way that will have zero ecological risk or impact, forever. So no, not "tomorrow".
- morsch 5y ago
  In Germany, today, there is no refinement. I'd be interested about how much refinement is happening as a percentage of waste generated, globally. At first glance, the US doesn't do it, either, for example. https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brennelement https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brennelement

You must mean tomorrow, because today, we just keep the stuff around in intermediate facilities.

by morsch 5y ago

You must mean tomorrow, because today, we just keep the stuff around in intermediate facilities.

The thing is, we know how to store nuclear waste in such a way that it's a solved problem forever. Literally gone and not a worry for any generation from now until forever. It's called deep borehole disposal[0]. Drill a hole all the way down to Earth's crust, put your waste there = it's not coming back on anything shorter than geological timescale. " It is estimated that only 800 boreholes would be sufficient to store the entire existing nuclear waste stockpile of the USA"[0] From what I understand it isn't being done for two reasons: 1) cost 2) once stored this way it's almost impossible to retrieve. Spent nuclear fuel is kept around partially because we know we might be able to recycle it into fresh fuel in the future. If we dump it in a hole deep in the ground it's gone forever. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_borehole_disposal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_borehole_disposal

fomine3 5y ago
The problem is that there's no place where not anyone's backyard. Even the big US failed for Yucca Mountain.
- gambiting 5y ago
  You can live on top of the borehole though, no issues. It's not like the area has to be cordoned off forever.
  - fomine3 5y ago
    Technically true, but not work for most people's feelings.

chorsestudios 5y ago

Doesn't seem much different then designating space for landfills and other forms of waste. Sewage treatment plants aren't pleasant but provide great benefit to society.

junon 5y ago

We can currently refine waste down to levels safe enough to keep out of containment facilities, and can dispose of it by landfill in a way that will have zero ecological risk or impact, forever. So no, not "tomorrow".

morsch 5y ago
In Germany, today, there is no refinement. I'd be interested about how much refinement is happening as a percentage of waste generated, globally. At first glance, the US doesn't do it, either, for example. https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brennelement https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brennelement