The events last year (2011), in Japan, and the continual unfolding of the aftermath, raises some very important questions about the future of Nuclear Power ?. In particular about its use in the Civil spear ?
There has now been some Three major events over a number of decades, and each of these events have involved the spread of contamination outside the footprint of the sites involved. Giving the increase in numbers of nuclear sites, then there must surely be an increase in risk, to the public at large !.
Is it not now time to address the implications of this as a matter of urgency ?
From a British point of view we seem to have a situation, not unlike that experienced in the Industrial Revolution, where machinery existed and operated without Guards and Emergency stops !. While this may not be the case on nuclear sites, there appears to be a disconnect, when leakages reach outside their site footprints !
This surely demands the provision of a monitoring system which acts in real time and is both sensitive and quickly reactive in detecting a wide range of contaminants, and ranking the risks in regards to particular geographical areas, perhaps much like mobile phone cells, in regards to the geographical area footprint !
This would then provide the civilian population, that is to say the public at large, the opportunity to make decisions, based on reliable information !. Rather than having to rely on speculation, and suspicion !.
If this cannot be done then the future of Nuclear Power, can come into doubt !. Interest groups who are opposed to nuclear, for a variety of reasons, may seek to block its operation, without regard to the consequences !. This could well happen as the shock of what happened in Japan wears off, and the form and scale, of the disruption, risk and harm, becomes apparent !.
There has now been some Three major events over a number of decades, and each of these events have involved the spread of contamination outside the footprint of the sites involved. Giving the increase in numbers of nuclear sites, then there must surely be an increase in risk, to the public at large !.
Is it not now time to address the implications of this as a matter of urgency ?
From a British point of view we seem to have a situation, not unlike that experienced in the Industrial Revolution, where machinery existed and operated without Guards and Emergency stops !. While this may not be the case on nuclear sites, there appears to be a disconnect, when leakages reach outside their site footprints !
This surely demands the provision of a monitoring system which acts in real time and is both sensitive and quickly reactive in detecting a wide range of contaminants, and ranking the risks in regards to particular geographical areas, perhaps much like mobile phone cells, in regards to the geographical area footprint !
This would then provide the civilian population, that is to say the public at large, the opportunity to make decisions, based on reliable information !. Rather than having to rely on speculation, and suspicion !.
If this cannot be done then the future of Nuclear Power, can come into doubt !. Interest groups who are opposed to nuclear, for a variety of reasons, may seek to block its operation, without regard to the consequences !. This could well happen as the shock of what happened in Japan wears off, and the form and scale, of the disruption, risk and harm, becomes apparent !.
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