Much controversy has been emanated regarding the issue of nuclear power. As time draws on, many people are concerned that at some point the world oil supply will vanish and we will have to compensate for its loss by using an alternative power source. Some people predict that this event will occur early in the twenty first century and for this reason, the question has been raised about what alternative power source we will use. Nuclear power seems to be a popular choice with many people, and many people believe that nuclear power is inexpensive and creates no air pollution. However, while this may be true, it is also evident that the radioactivity released during accidents at nuclear power plants has caused many deaths and environmental damage. Thus, a number of people are opposed to nuclear power and I for one, abhor the use of nuclear power, its use in our society and at the Western Nuclear Power Industry in particular.

In my opinion, nuclear power should be banned and there are many risks taken when nuclear power is used. For one thing, there is always the risk that a meltdown or reactor leakage could occur. Furthermore, there are also problems in storing waste from nuclear reactors, the issue of thermal pollution and concerns about worker safety and security. There is the possibility that nuclear reactors will experience a 'melt down' where the cooling systems fail and nuclear fuel reaches such a temperature, that it melts away through the reactor or causes damage to reactor walls. This allows the spread of radioactivity, a lethal thing, which can not only pollute the environment but cause cancers and sickness to occur within humans. Besides from a 'melt down' causing the spread of radioactivity, there is also the fear that radioactive wastes from reactors will escape into the environment and contaminate it with radioactivity. Radioactivity is definitely not an issue to be taken lightly and at Muroroa, an island near a french nuclear test site, many signs of radioactive poisoning can be seen within islanders who were present when the French first tested bombs many years ago. Many of the islanders not only contracted cancers and became sick with "unknown" ilnesses, but also suffered from skin diseases, back and organ problems. Radiation also had a disasterous effect on many children, with deformations such as "club feet", "hair lips", oversized skulls and missing body parts occuring. Apart from the serious health problems, the environment also suffered with fish being poisoned and other animals dying. Perhaps the worst thing about radiation is that it doesn't disappear within a short time. In fact, it is known that radiation can remain within the soil for up to a million years, and still have an affect upon animals and humans. Imagine the consequences radiation could pose if it happened to leak out and spread over our community. It would be such a disaster and simply unthinkable to some people. We can't put ourselves, and yet alone our children at risk to this hideous substance.

The storage of nuclear waste also poses a big problem for society. The dangerous, radioactive component of these wastes can't be destroyed and may lasts hundreds, or even thousands of years. An economically acceptable method of storing these wastes has not yet been found. Surely, we don't want numerous containers of radioactive waste lurking around our state and threatening our community if the containers happened to leak? The consequences of such a situation are again unthinkable and disasterous.

Furthermore, there is also the issue of thermal pollution. Huge amounts of water are used in nuclear reactors to make steam to be used in cooling. Although not radioactive, water is often released at reasonably high temperatures and this thermal pollution can upset the equilibrium of the environment into which it is pumped. The environment is not something you can tamper with, especially with pollution of this kind. We already have enough pollution from various industrial plants and the burning of fossil fuels in our atmosphere without having more. Then arises the issue of worker safety and security. The health of workers in nuclear reactors is also of concern and the potential for workers to be exposed to dangerously high levels of radiation exists. Why should humans be exposed to such a lethal substance? For we already know that radiation may have terrible impacts on your health. There is surely not much difference from being an innocent and unsuspecting islander on Muroroa to being a power plant worker, in regards to radiation exposure. In both situations, the human beings don't deserve to be put at risk to radiation and a power plant worker should be a banned profession.

Last but not least, is the problem of security. Nuclear reactors generate the material that is used in the construction of nuclear explosives. If this material falls into the wrong hands, a terrorist group for example, nuclear weapons could be manufactured and used in terrorist activities. This would almost certainly have a horrendous outcome and may result in many injuries and deaths of innocent civilians.

When comparing the consequences and risks of using nuclear power to the advantages it is evident to me, and am sure for many others, that the number of risks and consequences outweigh the advantages. Why should nuclear power be used just because it is viewed as inexpensive and creates no air pollution, when the risks and possible consequences of using such a method could result in far greater pollution and devastation than a little air pollution would ever have caused, if there were to be a reactor leakage or 'melt down'. Surely we don't want to put ourselves at risk and yet alone our children, to harmful radiation to which there doesn't seem to be a cure. We have already read or heard about what radiation did to the unfortunate people at Muroroa and Chernobyl in the USSR (another nuclear disaster where there was a partial 'melt down' at a nuclear power plant which resulted in significant loss of life and severe contamination of environment).These peoples lives have changed forever and are a constant reminder to us that we must be very careful when dealing with radiation and nuclear related substances. Something needs to be done about eliminating the use of nuclear power before it is too late, or else one day we just might be put at the wrath of a radiation spread because people valued low price over health and environmental concerns.


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