Tackling Toxic Nuclear Waste Issues

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The 21st century has brought on vast improvements in technology, but with this success has also come a growing list of environmental issues that global leaders must address in order to guarantee a sustainable future. To name a few, there are problems and debate regarding global warming, clean energy, endangered wildlife and managing dirty nuclear waste.

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The seriousness and immediate concerns of nuclear waste seem to have been noticed on the global stage. At this year’s World Economic Forum, the Global Agenda Council on emerging technologies identified the top 10 emerging technologies for 2013.  Included on this list were fourth generation reactors and nuclear waste recycling.

Strides Toward Nuclear Power Efficiency

Nuclear power reactors today only use 1% of the potential energy available in Uranium. Nuclear waste is the contaminated residual byproduct left behind.

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Researchers today are aiming to produce more eco-friendly nuclear fuel that can be 80 percent recycled, a much higher level compared to the current 1 percent. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co.’s Kori nuclear power site is one such power generating entity that is dedicated to making advances in this field.

While our nuclear waste problems will not likely be solved in one day or one year even, continued research and development in managing nuclear waste will hopefully lead towards a more sustainable future in the long term.