The nuclear industry is dealing with criticism over spills of a chemical called tritium. The GLRC’s Shawn Allee reports:
Transcript
The nuclear industry is dealing with criticism over spills of a chemical
called tritium. The GLRC’s Shawn Allee reports:
Federal regulators don’t require nuclear power plants to report what’s
considered minor tritium spills to the public. That’s despite the fact
tritium can make water radioactive, but some residents in Arizona,
Illinois and New York are furious. They’ve learned about tritium
spills… sometimes years later. Now, power plants want to change
course.
The Nuclear Energy Institute’s Ralph Andersen says the industry will
report even minor tritium leaks to the public.
“It’s appreciating the common sense issue that of course, neighbors
around a nuclear power plant want to be aware of emissions from the
plant, not just hear about it later or read about it in the paper.”
Federal regulators insist the public’s safe. Nuclear watchdog groups
remain worried, though. The agreement covers only nuclear plant
operators, not places that store tritium outside power stations.
A new government report finds that twenty-four years after the federal government told the states to find ways to dispose of low-level radioactive waste, not a single site has been built. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports:
Transcript
A new government report finds that 24 years after the federal government told the states
to find ways to dispose of low-level radioactive waste, not a single site has been built.
The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports:
In 1980, the states became responsible for providing disposal sites for most of the low-
level radioactive waste. Low-level waste includes things such as clothing and tools
exposed to radiation in medicine, research and at nuclear power plants. But to date… not
one disposal facility has been built by a state. The investigative arm of Congress, the General
Accounting Office, reports that an older facility in South Carolina is the only
site still accepting waste… but it’s expected to restrict shipments by the middle of 2008.
The GAO’s Robin Nazzaro says it’s not a crisis situation yet…
“The bottom line fall back, though, is that sites can also store this waste at their facilities.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission does allow for storage of waste as long as it’s safe
and secure.”
The GAO says a few states have plans to build facilities in the future… but nothing is
under construction right now.
For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, this is Lester Graham.
A new government report recommends wide distribution of a protective pill to people who live near nuclear power plants. But many states with power plants don’t offer the pill. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports:
Transcript
A new government report recommends wide distribution of a protective pill to people who live
near nuclear power plants. But many states with power plants don’t offer the pill. The Great
Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports:
The National Academy of Sciences is recommending states make potassium iodide pills readily
available to people who live near nuclear power plants. If taken shortly before or after exposure
to radiation, potassium iodide pills can prevent thyroid cancer caused by exposure to radioactivity
that could be released in an accident or attack on a nuclear power plant.
But some states don’t plan to distribute potassium iodide pills. The states say it’s too complex to
stockpile, distribute and deal with proper dosages for the general public. The states also say
potassium iodide provides only partial protection and best and might give people a false sense of
security, tempting them to stick around to gather belongings when they should be evacuating as
quickly as possible in a nuclear emergency.
For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, this is Lester Graham.
Four Great Lakes states are stocking up on special cancer-prevention pills that are supposed to protect people who live near nuclear power plants, in case there’s a major leak of radiation. Ohio is the latest. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Bill Cohen has the story:
Transcript
Four Great Lakes states are stocking up on special cancer-prevention
pills that are supposed to protect people who live near nuclear power
plants, in case there’s a major leak of radiation. Ohio is the latest.
Bill Cohen has the story:
The pills contain potassium iodide and the federal government has
agreed to pay for them. The idea is, if people swallow this harmless
iodine just before they’re exposed to radioactivity, their thyroid
glands won’t absorb much dangerous radioactive iodine. That way, the
chances of getting thyroid cancer go down.
Ohio has just packaged 600,000 pills for evacuation centers near
the three nuclear power plants that serve the state. Next year, pills
will be available to residents to pick up directly, so they can keep
them in their medicine cabinet at home or their desk drawer at work.
Still, health officials stress in an emergency, evacuation – not
the pills – should be the top priority. Jay Carey speaks for the state
health department.
“If they’re ordered to evacuate, they should leave first. Don’t even turn
around and go back – ‘Oh, I left my pills in the medicine cabinet, I’ll
go get ’em.’ If you’re told to evacuate, evacuate!”
New York and Pennsylvania are also stocking up on the pills the feds
are paying for. Illinois is buying its own supply.
For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Bill Cohen.
Some states are arguing with the federal government's program to hand out radiation pills to those who live near power plants. The states say the pills don't protect from all exposures and give residents a false sense of security. Photo: Lester Graham
Since the September eleventh terrorist attacks, political pressure has been building to distribute potassium iodide pills to people who live around nuclear power plants. The pills help reduce the damage from exposure to certain kinds of radioactivity in the event of a release, but not all states with nuclear power plants are distributing the pills. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports:
Transcript
Since the September eleventh terrorist attacks, political
pressure has been building to distribute potassium
iodide pills to people who live around nuclear power
plants. The pills help reduce the damage from
exposure to certain kinds of radioactivity in the event of
a release, but not all states with nuclear power plants
are distributing the pills. The Great Lakes Radio
Consortium’s Lester Graham reports:
David Lochbaum is a former nuclear engineer who is now with the Union of Concerned
Scientists. He says everyone at risk should have some of the pills handy….
“We feel the federal government should step in and require potassium iodide to be stock-
piled for the residents within ten miles of all nuclear power plants, not just some people
in some states.”
Lochbaum and his colleagues at the Union of Concerned Scientists say if the potassium
iodide pill is taken at the proper time, it saturates the thyroid with a stable or benign form
of iodine. That way, if a radioactive cloud is released from a nuclear power plant,
harmful radioactive iodine breathed in is not retained by the thyroid.
“If you don’t take potassium iodide, your body tends to absorb the radioactive iodine. It
tends to assault your body for days or months and can lead to thyroid cancers and other
illnesses that are easily avoidable with this very cheap pill that can be taken.”
But some of the states with nuclear power plants say too much stock is being put into the
potassium iodide pill. Illinois has more nuclear power plants than any other state in the
nation. Thomas Ortciger is the head of the Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety…
“It’s a bogus issue that I think has been blown way out of proportion because of 9-11.”
Ortciger says his state is not participating in the federal government’s potassium iodide
pill program. He says handing out the pill to everyone who lives near a nuclear power
plant can give the residents a false sense of security…
“It is not a cure all. It is not a total radiation pill. It defends one small part of the body —
quite frankly it there was an accident or there was an act of terrorism and there was a
release from a plant, there’s probably seven – eight other nuclides that could be just as
dangerous that the people would become contaminated with.”
That’s not stopping the federal government from encouraging the states to sign on to its
potassium iodide pill program. Sue Gagner is with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
She says the N.R.C. believes the potassium iodide pills are helpful…
“It is certainly true that potassium iodide does only provide protection from the one
radioactive nuclide, radioactive iodine. So, there are others that could be released in a
severe nuclear accident. That’s why we only refer to potassium iodide as a supplement to
evacuation and sheltering which could be needed.”
Gagner says citizens should be instructed that the potassium iodide pill does not mean it’s
safe to stick around a contaminated area to gather a few more belongings. People should
leave as soon as possible. But… in the states where the federal program has been used…
surveys a year after the potassium iodide pills were pre-distributed have found that as
many as 90-percent of the people can’t even locate the pills. Gagner told us the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission doesn’t implement the program… so, it leaves it up to the states
to decide whether or not it works… when we asked about the programs effectiveness…
“So, there’s no way to measure whether this is effective or a complete waste of money.”
“Well, I don’t think it’s a complete waste of money. No, I think it can be effective when
used along with the other methods of possible evacuation or sheltering and it can be
effective.”
But some state regulators are skeptical. In Illinois, the Department of Nuclear Safety
refuses to get involved with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s program… but it has
launched it’s own potassium iodide pill program. Director Thomas Ortciger says there’s
been too much political pressure to completely ignore the issue… so the pill is being
made available to people who live near a nuclear power plant and who ask for it…
“For people who feel that this will give them some comfort, we’re going to make this
available, but it’s certainly not going to be part of the Illinois plan.”
Ortciger says the terrorist threat since nine-eleven has only persuaded Illinois emergency
officials to concentrate on the one thing they’re certain will work in case of a radioactive
release… quick evacuation… and the potassium iodide pills are a distraction from that
goal.
For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Lester Graham.
Some states are arguing with the federal government's program to hand out radiation pills to those who live near power plants. The states say the pills don't protect from all exposures and give residents a false sense of security. Photo: Lester Graham
A group of scientists concerned about the environment wants the federal government to force states with nuclear power plants to stock-pile pills that help prevent exposure to radioactivity. Some states don’t think the pill is helpful. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham has more:
Transcript
A group of scientists concerned about the environment wants the federal government to
force states with nuclear power plants to stock-pile pills that help prevent exposure to
radioactivity. Some states don’t think the pill is helpful. The Great Lakes Radio
Consortium’s Lester Graham has more.
The Union of Concerned Scientists wants the potassium iodide pills distributed to
everyone who lives within ten miles of a nuclear power plant. David Lochbaum is with
the group. He says it’s protection in case there’s ever an accident or a terrorist attack on
the plant and radioactivity is released.
“Potassium iodide is taken to saturate your thyroid with a stable or benign form of iodine
so when radioactive iodine goes by and your body breathes it, it’s not retained by the
body. You just exhale it.”
But fewer than half of the states with nuclear power plants have signed up for the federal
program to make the potassium iodide pills available. One of the concerns is that people
will stay longer gathering belongings, thinking the pill protects them from radioactivity.
It actually only protects for one of several different harmful radionuclides. Some
emergency experts say the best bet is to simply evacuate people as quickly as possible.
For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Lester Graham.
The Coast Guard and local agencies have declared 22 security zones on the Great Lakes… areas which are now off-limits to boaters under penalty of up to a $10,000 fine. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Mike Simonson reports:
Transcript
The Coast Guard and local agencies have declared 22 security zones on the Great Lakes…areas which are now off-limits to boaters under penalty of up to a $10,000 fine. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Mike Simonson reports:
Coast
Guard Petty Officer Paul Roszkowski says this is a reaction to the 9-11 terrorist attacks. He says not all of the zones are marked yet, but eventually will be with yellow buoys. He says the first time violators will be warned.
“Right now there are several security zones throughout the Great Lakes around nuclear power plants, around water filtration areas that boaters are going to have to keep an eye out for this boating season.”
Roszkowski says the Coast Guard is also organizing what they call “Eyes on the Water” programs in local ports. These get boaters to call in anything out of the ordinary.
“Especially people hunting and fishing in locations that are not typically used for those activities…Unattended vessels, any aggressive activities, any unusual filming, vessels operating in areas vessels don’t normally operate.”
Roszkowski says this is part of our changed world since 9-11.
For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Mike Simonson.
Great Lakes boaters will find some areas of the lakes closed to them this boating season. The terrorist attacks last September prompted federal agencies to make parts of the lakes off-limits. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham explains:
Transcript
Great Lakes boaters will find some areas of the lakes closed to them this
boating season. The terrorist attacks last September prompted federal
agencies to make parts of the lakes off-limits. The Great Lakes Radio
Consortium’s Lester Graham reports:
The Coast Guard and the Army Corps of Engineers are establishing security
zones where pleasure boaters and commercial fishing boats will be
restricted. For example, a temporary security area around nuclear power
plants was established on Lake Michigan. Now those will become permanent.
Lake St. Clair will have a security zone on the waters around Selfridge Air
National Guard Base near Detroit. And near Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, a
15-mile-wide danger zone, about six miles offshore, is being reestablished as
a live fire exercise area for the Wisconsin Air National Guard. The Army
Corps of Engineers indicates it would have no significant effect on small
businesses, but Wisconsin state officials are furious because the Army Corps
of Engineers has been vague about what it will actually mean for commercial
anglers and pleasure boaters who use the area.
For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, this is Lester Graham.
The Great Lakes Basin hosts 44 nuclear reactors, plus a variety of uranium mining and refining facilities and nuclear waste dumps. Their presence has been contentious and divisive, and critics of nuclear power have often been seen as extremists who have polarized the issue. But one remarkable Canadian activist managed to bring both sides of the debate together. Great Lakes Radio Consortium commentator Suzanne Elston says her recent death is a tragedy for all Great Lakes residents:
Russia has recently begun construction on a floating nuclear power
plant, designed to bring electricity to remote northern regions of that
country. Great Lakes Radio Consortium commentator Suzanne Elston
wonders
what could happen if we brought these floating plants to the Great
Lakes:
Transcript
Okay, so on the surface it sounds like a really bad idea. Build
floating nuclear power plants, with dependable Russian nuclear
technology, and dot them along the shore of the Arctic Ocean. Sort of
like a little fleet of mini-Chernobyls-to-go. Critics are saying that
these barges will be sitting ducks, waiting for terrorists to tow
them away. And then there’s that ever-present threat to the
environment.
But I say, let’s not be hasty here. I think there’s a potential for
using these barges in the Great Lakes. First of all, they could help
us get rid of our nuclear waste problem. What Russia plans to do
with the spent fuel is tow the barges into shore every dozen years
and unload it. But I say flip it around. Take all the waste from our
land-locked plants and stick it on the barge.
This would solve no end of problems. No more worrying about burying
it in a mountain somewhere. Problem solved at a fraction of the cost.
We actually could float the stuff in the water around the barge,
which would solve another major environmental problem. There’s been
so much concern about invading species in the Great Lakes. A good
dose of radiation should render even the hardiest invader sterile.
Another problem solved.
And that’s just the beginning. The glow from all this spent fuel
would light up the water around the reactor. This would make it a lot
easier for sports fishermen to see what they’re doing. After all,
nobody’s supposed to eat the fish they catch from the Great Lakes,
anyway. If we keep the barges nice and close to the shoreline, they’d
light up those dark and dangerous beaches. We’d save on energy and we
wouldn’t have to worry about lighting bonfires. That would put an end
to all those rowdy beach parties. The glow would also help boaters
find their docks at night. No more search and rescue. Another bonus.
The more I think about it, the more I have to admit, this is one hot
idea. You gotta hand it to those Russians. I wonder what they’ll
think of next.
Suzanne Elston is a syndicated columnist living in Courtice, Ontario. She comes to us by way of the
