Letter Concerning the Yucca Mountain

To whom it may concern,

           

            It has come to my attention that the Yucca Mountain is being used as a site for the burial of nuclear waste. I highly disagree with this decision for numerous reasons, the first being that it is harmful for the residents and wildlife in and around the Yucca Mountain. The radiation given off by the nuclear waste can be harmful to humans, causing cells to deform, cancer, and even death.

The concept of half-life comes into play when discussing this issue because it will help determine how long it will take the nuclear waste to decay. The formal definition of half-life is the amount of time it takes a radioisotope to lose half of its radioactivity. Knowing the half-life of the nuclear waste can help determine the amount of time the waste will take to decay. Many types of radioactive wastes will decay in 10-50 years; however wastes that are classified as “high level” wastes can take thousands of years to decay enough so that the radioactivity is manageable.

Another thing that comes into play when dealing with nuclear waste is nuclear reactors. A nuclear reactor splits atoms through the process of fission to create heat energy. However during this process, harmful elements are produced such as plutonium and uranium that if not contained correctly, could be dangerous as well as poisonous to humans. Also these elements take longer to decay due to the fact that they have longer half-lives.

Nuclear waste is the resulting product of nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons, and this waste must be stored properly in order to avoid severe consequences. Some concerns about waste storage include the fact that nuclear waste is not biodegradable. It also lets of harmful radiation that can cause alterations of human cells, which can be passed down for generations.   

The current location in which nuclear waste is stored makes it possible for humans to be exposed to this harmful radiation. As well, the transporting of nuclear waste to the Yucca Mountain requires the movement of highly radioactive substances to be driven through many other cities in America, possibly exposing many other people as well. Therefore I do not agree with transporting of nuclear waste to the Yucca Mountain.

Sincerely,

Gabrielle Roma