The government isn’t telling us the true cost of nuclear waste disposal
UK plans for ten new nuclear power plants will create £80 billion worth of radioactive waste that we still have no secure way of disposing.
See http://www.theecologist.org/blogs_and_comments/commentators/other_comments/691982/the_government_isnt_telling_us_the_true_cost_of_nuclear_waste_disposal.html.
See also http://www.nomoney4nuclear.org.uk/.
Into Eternity
This jaw-dropping documentary tackles a subject almost beyond comprehension – radioactive nuclear waste. Madsen’s film is about Onkalo, a colossal underground tomb being built in Finland, 500 metres below the earth – supposedly impervious to any event on the surface and far away from any possible earthquake danger: its purpose is to house thousands of tonnes of radioactive nuclear waste. The point is that, to be safe, this gigantic bunker has to last 100,000 years. Are we humans capable of even conceiving this, let alone actually guaranteeing it? Our own history spans a few paltry millennia. We have, of course, created nothing that has lasted anything like this length of time. And yet Onkalo has to do it – there is no question about this. Finland is building something that must outlast every institution humans have ever conceived. This is nothing less than post-human architecture we are talking about. Why isn’t every government, every philosopher, every theologian, everywhere in the world discussing Onkalo and its implications? I don’t know, but they should see this film.
See http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/nov/11/into-eternity-film-review.
148 states call for transparency over depleted uranium use in UN vote
148 states have supported a United Nations General Assembly resolution calling on state users of depleted uranium weapons to reveal where the weapons have been fired when asked to do so by affected countries. The resolution was passed by a huge majority, with just four countries opposing the text. As with previous UN resolutions in 2007 and 2008, the UK, US, Israel and France voted against.
See http://www.bandepleteduranium.org/en/a/364.html.