At Ease With Nuclear Power
By SCOTT T. HARDS
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原子力の方が安心
原子力の方が安心
東海村の核燃料加工施設で起きた臨界事故以来、
原子力発電を放棄しようという
意見が高まりをみせている。
しかし、筆者は、日本の国民が
原子力以外のエネルギーだけで生きていけるのか、
それはより安全な方法なのか、と問いかける。
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Since the accident last year at Tokai, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan's press have
carried countless reports about the nuclear catastrophe and the health concerns of local residents. The opinions of many seem to center on the
notion that perhaps nuclear power should be abandoned completely. This is
an idea that Germany has recently adopted, although no actual plant closing has taken place there.
Frankly, I think the abandonment of nuclear power is one of the worst
ideas I've ever heard. My reason is simple: Nuclear power is the safest and
cleanest practical source of energy the world has ever used.
Look behind the scary headlines and science-fiction images of mushroom clouds and mutants: The number of deaths and injuries, and the harm to
the environment, caused by nuclear power are a tiny fraction of those caused
by the use of other energy sources like coal and oil.
Globally, thousands of coal workers have been killed in mining accidents.
And many times more have had their health destroyed by the lung diseases
caused by breathing coal dust. In addition, coal mines — especially strip
mining — destroy the landscape, poisonground water and do other harm.
And of course, burning coal and oil for heat creates massive amounts of
pollution, acid rain and other problems. Compared to this, nuclear energy
is an angel, even when one considers the problems of waste disposal and
handling.
What about other energy options such as hydroelectric, geothermal, solar
or wind power? While such sources are indeed relatively clean and safe, the
dams required for hydropower cause huge environmental chang es. And none of
these sources is plentiful enough to supply all of the needs of modern
society. I am not claiming that nuclear power is perfectly safe. It's not,
and that's why safety rules and regulations must be obeyed. It was the
reckless abandonment of established safety procedures at JCO that caused
the Tokai accident in the first place, and the people responsible must be prosecuted.
But if these rules are carefully followed and enforced, no other power
source is as safe, clean and renewable as nuclear energy. This is especially
important for countries, like Japan, that have almost no domestic supplies
of fossil fuels.
Look at France! That country has supplied nearly 80 percent of its power
needs through nuclear energy for decades without any significant mishap.
Belgium, Sweden and several other nations also safely supply about 50 percent
of their power with uranium. Globally, 17 percent of the world's power comes
from nuclear energy. Modern society is filled with necessary evils,
or risks that must be taken. Every single day, on average 30 people are killed
in traffic accidents around Japan. Cars and trucks generate tremendous
pollution and noise. But nobody talks about abandoning cars or roads, do they?
That's because ground transportation is a vital part of our lives.
And so is electricity. We cannot live without it, and that means that we
have to take the risks necessary in generating it. If there is anything to be
learned from the JCO accident, it is not that nuclear energy is too dangerous,
but that Japan's supervision of its nuclear facilities was too lax. Used
properly, the power of the atom can serve us safely for thousands of years
to come.
Shukan ST: Jan. 28, 2000
(C) All rights reserved
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