Too_many_H-Bombs wrote on October 23, 2009 06:48 AM: Mad wrote (1624): Seems like if the tritium has reached the test wells, so has the plutonium, which will be able to travel all over the water table during is lifetime

I had the same thought.

Dem Fault wrote on October 22, 2009 08:15 PM: @Ugly American,
You can thank President Carter for signing the bill banning nuclear fuel recycling in the U.S. Otherwise, there'd be one hell of a lot less waste needing to be stored.

Mama Bear wrote on October 22, 2009 05:43 PM: They can go by any name (NNSA's Nevada Site Office) but they are still DOE, and the same people are still doing the dirty on Nevadans, just like Mr. Morgan who has been their talking head for decades.

Mama Bear wrote on October 22, 2009 05:41 PM: ANYTHING associated with DOE and their projects means the ultimate in toxicity. Whether it is their words OR deeds.
DOE = DEATH

Mad Scientist wrote on October 22, 2009 04:24 PM: "Although tritium is an indicator of the radioactive remnants from powerful nuclear explosions, questions remain about how fast longer-lived isotopes such as plutonium are traveling. It's likely they are migrating at a much slower pace", Morgan said.

And just what is going to slow down the longer lived isotopes? What is there, a plutonium gate that only allows tritium to pass? Seems to me that the longer lived isotopes are traveling right along at the same pace as the slower lived ones.

Tritium half life is about 12.3 years. Pu-239 has a half life of 24,200 years.
Since it has been only 34 years since the last test, there is still a pretty good quantity (6%) of Tritium, and, within a few thousand decimal places, all of the plutonium. Seems like if the tritium has reached the test wells, so has the plutonium, which will be able to travel all over the water table during is lifetime.

Mike K. wrote on October 22, 2009 03:45 PM: Ugly American:

The reactors that you mentioned in France and Canada are actually prohibited by federal law here in the United States. The environmentalists here in the US got them banned in the 1970's in an effort to stop the building of new nuclear reactors, which are much better than coal or gas fired plants.

Ugly American wrote on October 22, 2009 02:43 PM: Tritium (radioactive hydrogen) disperses quickly, emits relatively low energy radiation and has a half life of only 12.33 years. The problem is where tritium is found, much more dangerous and toxic compounds usually follow.

@Holly - In addition to the French reprocessing system, there are also breeder reactors and flex fuel reactors that can burn the waste from traditional reactors. Canada has been producing reactors that can burn high level waste for decades but US government contractors want to make money off stupid make-work never ending projects like Yucca.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candu

Claudia H wrote on October 22, 2009 02:25 PM: 'Safe levels in the drinking water'... WHAT THE?! Mind if I piss some 'Safe levels of urine' in YOUR drinking water?!?!
Who determines this GARBAGE and what kind of mind altering substance are they on in order to come to their conclusions?!?!

Holly wrote on October 22, 2009 12:12 PM: The title to this article is misleading and inflammatory. Probably good journalism as it certainly drew me to the article. An interesting side note. The whole Yucca mountain debate could have been avoided if our country would let us recycle our waste. I found out that we would have more power to rely on plus only a fraction of the waste we currently have and it can all be safely and cheaply done. Makes you wonder why our great (in their own eyes) and non- esteemed leaders haven't thought of that. Too busy giving themselves raises.

Too_many_H-Bombs wrote on October 22, 2009 12:01 PM: Tritium (H³) is used in H-Bombs, I think because it ignites at lower temperature. FYI.

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