Nuclear Power and Environmental Issues

The pursuit of a new energy has begun from last century. It has been a global concern that the deposit of fossil fuel will empty in no time. That's why the scientists trying to find the alternative energies to keep support our live. One of these energies is nuclear energy, an energy that rest inside each atom in each material as their potential energy. Radioactive elements offers a chance to get energy we need from natural process that only happen to them: Decaying. Because their instability, the radioactive elements tend to release their neutrons and also great amount of heat energy as radiation. This energy then converted as electrical energy by using it to vaporize water that turn the turbine to generate electricity

It seems that the nuclear power is the best alternative to meet energy need for now. But after an accident in Fukushima I Nuclear Reactor Plant, it seems we need to reconsider it again. Here are some of the negative sides of nuclear power:

• Reactor Leakage

As in Fukushima I Nuclear Reactor Plant, it's dangerous when a reactor was being damaged, especially for old type reactor plant. It's good to say that almost all reactors in developed countries have used the newest model of nuclear reactor plant. But for other countries, it's a very expensive to upgrading their plants. That means there will always be the possibility of leakage when natural disaster like earthquake happens. For environment, the leakage means there will be some contamination release to the air, soil, or water. The contamination will magnify in other organisms and then piling up in human as the top of food chain. It will cause diseases, for example cancer or gene mutation.

• Radioactive Waste

This is the most threat. Radioactive waste is a byproduct of nuclear reaction that can't be use any further to generate energy, but still have potential to radiate energy. The radioactive waste usually can't be reacted anymore, but it still has radiation. The radioactive waste, as the other wastes, usually will be thrown away after being sealed. If the seal broken, radiation will leaked away and spread into the environment. The alternative way to use radioactive waste is for military purpose. In other term: Nuclear Weapon. Plutonium, as one of the radioactive waste is a sample of component that used in nuclear warhead. This element is obtained from the reactors which use uranium, which is the most commonly used in nuclear reactors.

•  Gas Emission

Nuclear power is not gas-free. As it said in wikipedia, nuclear power plants produce electricity with about 66 g equivalent lifecycle carbon dioxide emissions per kWh, while renewable power generators produce electricity with only 9.5-38 g carbon dioxide per kWh. It based on a study by Benjamin K. Sovacool in 2008.

It's true the energy we get from nuclear power is many time bigger than from fossil. But it also has great negative sides that can make damage in our life. So it's better for now to find more alternatives than only relies in nuclear power. For the better environment , for our next generation.