Nuclear Waste Essay -- Environment Pollution Papers

Nuclear Waste Australia is a major player in the grand scheme of the world’s energy needs. Its large land mass and geologic history has provided it with an extensive list of mineral resources. Australia, therefore, since the initial gold rushes of the 1850’s, has come to depend heavily on the mining industry. In particular, the discovery in the 1950’s of uranium and new coal deposits created a wave of mining that to present has proven to be quite profitable for the country’s economy.[1] Australia is unique in that it is the world’s second largest producer and exporter of uranium,[2] and â€Å"the world’s largest coal exporter.†[3] It comes as no surprise, therefore, that current energy issues regarding waste products hits close to home for Australia. However, Australia’s contributions to and use of fossil fuel and nuclear energy are all very different. The Kyoto Protocol of 1997 has enabled Australia to assume a role that not only contributes to the efforts of emissions reductions, but also allows it to continue its economic benefits of coal mining. Solutions to and decisions about nuclear waste management, on the other hand, are much more difficult to come to. While Australia’s future in the coal industry will depend greatly on the results of the Kyoto Protocol, the future of nuclear waste management may eventually greatly depend on Australia. History of Mining and Nuclear Policy Due to its large production of coal, Australia has come to rely heavily on fossil fuels as its primary source of energy.[4] While it might seem appropriate that nuclear energy be another significant source, since uranium is a significant component of the fuel used to run nuclear reactors, this is not actually the case. Au... ... Zwaan, op cit. [20] Langer, â€Å"Nuclear waste management and the earth sciences† [21] â€Å"Nuclear Electricity, Sixth Edition, August 2000† [22] Ibid. [23] Holland, op cit. [24] Ibid. [25] Nuclear Waste Storage (Prohibition) Act 1999, in Holland, op cit. [26] Parliamentary Debates, Senate 26 August 1999 in Holland, op cit. [27] Prime Minister Howard in Holland, op cit. [28] Holland, op cit. [29] van der Zwaan, op cit. [30] â€Å"Nuclear Electricity, Sixth Edition, August 2000† [31] Holland, op cit. [32] â€Å"Nuclear Electricity, Sixth Edition, August 2000† [33] Langer, op cit. [34] Holland, op cit. [35] â€Å"Nuclear Electricity, Sixth Edition, August 2000† [36] Holland, op cit. [37] Ibid. [38] Senator Minchin in Holland, op cit. [39] van der Zwaan, op cit. [40] Ibid. [41] ENST 309 Lecture Notes. [42] Beardow, op cit.