Nuclear Power
1. Concerns
a. Accidents and hazards involved directly with operating technology (Pg. 51)
i. Estimated chances as of ’77, 1 in a billion but will result in the loss of several
thousand lives
ii. Low-Level radiation
1. Mostly irrelevant because the environmental and health damage caused
is less than the fossil fuels being replaced
2. 70 deaths per year (estimated) compared to 8000-40000 deaths from
coal for similar MWh output
3.
b. Unquestioning and undesirable dependence upon the technology
c. Social and economic centralization it may incur
d. Misuse for weapons
i.
e. Waste (Pg. 51)
i. Needs to be recycled ***
ii. Needs to be take care of for a minimum of 1000 years
iii. Open review and auditing is the only way to verify waste is being properly
handled
2.
Abrecht, P. et al. (1977, May 13). Public Acceptance of Nuclear Power - Some Ethical Issues. IAEA
Bulletin, 19, 48-57. Retrieved October 10, 2010 from the World Wide Web:
http://www.nuclearfiles.org/menu/key-issues/ethics/issues/ religious/religious_ethics.pdf.