Book Chapter - Springer Nature

Nuclear Waste

| Aug. 01, 2023

Nuclear waste epitomizes the Anthropocene. Scientific discovery of nuclear fission in the 1930s ushered in the atomic age. The onset of nuclear weapons and nuclear energy production in the 1940s and 1950s then created a uniquely human problem with planetary implications. Today, 33 countries operate 442 nuclear power reactors, and nine countries possess nearly 13,000 nuclear arms. The result is high-level waste that is dangerously radioactive for millennia to come. Yet, there has never been a permanent waste solution in place. Technically feasible long-term nuclear waste storage options exist, but nearly all governments prefer riskier interim plans hidden from public view and debate. This chapter considers the likelihood of societies addressing the contentious environmental and economic politics of deep geological repositories; and it asks, how long will obfuscation of the risks of this unique Anthropocene challenge continue?

Want to Read More?

The full text of this publication is available via the original publication source.
Read Full Article
For more information on this publication: Belfer Communications Office
For Academic Citation:

Eriksen, Christine, and Stephen Herzog. "Nuclear Waste." Handbook of the Anthropocene: Humans between Heritage and Future. (August 2023): 1521–1525.  

The Authors

Herzog Headshot

Stephen Herzog

  • Associate, Project on Managing the Atom
  • Former Predoctoral Research Fellow, International Security Program/Project on Managing the Atom, 2020–2021
  • Former Stanton Nuclear Security Predoctoral Fellow, International Security Program/Project on Managing the Atom, 2019–2020
Expertise:
Recommended
In the Spotlight
RSS
A student study group led by Senior Fellow Karen Donfried debated key foreign policy questions around Russia’s war against Ukraine. This collection summarizes both sides of each question.
To mitigate the risk of escalation, regional nations and international players should engage in continuous dialogue with the fighting parties and with those involved, including Iran, writes Assaf Zoran.
The number of Russians who want peace talks with Ukraine is growing but their terms are very different from those of Ukrainians. Simon Saradzhyan and Angelina Flood explain the polls and their implications.
Most Viewed

Tags