ARTHUR
My friend Arthur used to worry about the radioactive materials being shipped to and from Livermore. It was rumored that freight trains loaded with this potentially deadly cargo routinely rolled through the city of Oakland. His concern was the chance of an accident, and the possible consequences? Well, poor old Arthur died before any accident happened and his questions faded until the memory was gone. Today, I read an article in the local newspaper that reminded me. Trains loaded with radioactive materials are still rolling through American cities and villages and the potential for a disaster is still there. Has there been no progress improving safety?
NUCLEAR MATERIALS DISPOSAL
Apparently the United States has not yet discovered an safe and secure way to dispose of nuclear waste. Being dumber than an ox I didn't know this. I vaguely recalled such waste being buried deep in old salt mines, in special remote landfills far from population centers, and in carefully designed containers deep in the ocean. Is my memory correct? Probably not, and regardless it is very old information. It may even be 50 or 60 years old. I'm simply not in touch with the nuclear industry at all.
But nuclear reactors are working every day all over the world, and each installation generates some sort of nuclear waste. Many serious accidents have occurred and there are hundreds of locations that are now contaminated. Recently there was an accident in Japan caused by a devastating flow of water from the sea, initially caused by an off-shore earthquake. Experts are still evaluating the damage. Recently, there were pictures of a deserted Russian 'ghost city' that has been barren and closed to human habitation, perhaps for decades (or even centuries) because of nuclear contamination.
There are hundreds of reactors that have never had an accident of any kind, ever. Most are employed to produce electrical power. A comparative few are used to propel military ships and submarines, and nuclear technology is being used at hospitals and medical research centers all over the world. All of them create radioactive nuclear waste. Exactly what are they doing with it?
BOMBS
The America is believed to own at least 120 nuclear bombs stored off-shore:
Britain and France are believed to have manufactured at least 500 more.
Russia is thought to have produced as many as 8,500 with 1800 stored currently.
America once had over 7,700 with 2,150 stored currently.
China probably has at least 250 in storage.
India may have 100 in storage.
Pakistan may have 100 in storage
North Korea about 25
Israel approximately 200.
Adding these numbers together suggests that there are about 5,245 thermonuclear bombs being stored at locations around the world.
My friend Arthur used to worry about the radioactive materials being shipped to and from Livermore. It was rumored that freight trains loaded with this potentially deadly cargo routinely rolled through the city of Oakland. His concern was the chance of an accident, and the possible consequences? Well, poor old Arthur died before any accident happened and his questions faded until the memory was gone. Today, I read an article in the local newspaper that reminded me. Trains loaded with radioactive materials are still rolling through American cities and villages and the potential for a disaster is still there. Has there been no progress improving safety?
NUCLEAR MATERIALS DISPOSAL
Apparently the United States has not yet discovered an safe and secure way to dispose of nuclear waste. Being dumber than an ox I didn't know this. I vaguely recalled such waste being buried deep in old salt mines, in special remote landfills far from population centers, and in carefully designed containers deep in the ocean. Is my memory correct? Probably not, and regardless it is very old information. It may even be 50 or 60 years old. I'm simply not in touch with the nuclear industry at all.
But nuclear reactors are working every day all over the world, and each installation generates some sort of nuclear waste. Many serious accidents have occurred and there are hundreds of locations that are now contaminated. Recently there was an accident in Japan caused by a devastating flow of water from the sea, initially caused by an off-shore earthquake. Experts are still evaluating the damage. Recently, there were pictures of a deserted Russian 'ghost city' that has been barren and closed to human habitation, perhaps for decades (or even centuries) because of nuclear contamination.
There are hundreds of reactors that have never had an accident of any kind, ever. Most are employed to produce electrical power. A comparative few are used to propel military ships and submarines, and nuclear technology is being used at hospitals and medical research centers all over the world. All of them create radioactive nuclear waste. Exactly what are they doing with it?
BOMBS
The America is believed to own at least 120 nuclear bombs stored off-shore:
- Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, and Turkey.
Britain and France are believed to have manufactured at least 500 more.
Russia is thought to have produced as many as 8,500 with 1800 stored currently.
America once had over 7,700 with 2,150 stored currently.
China probably has at least 250 in storage.
India may have 100 in storage.
Pakistan may have 100 in storage
North Korea about 25
Israel approximately 200.
Adding these numbers together suggests that there are about 5,245 thermonuclear bombs being stored at locations around the world.
- Are they all secure?
- In 2008 the USAF conducted a study that determined "most storage sites in Europe do not meed U.S. Defence Dept. standards."
- Was this ever corrected?
- How are these weapons transported from one place to another?
- Do they create any level of nuclear waste?
- If so, how is it disposed of?
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