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Radioactive waste management
WASTE MANAGEMENT, Vol. 11. p. 67. 1991 Printed in the USA. All rights reserved.
1)956-1)53/X/91 $3.00 + .Ill) Copyright © 1991 Pergamon Press pie
BOOK REVIEWS
Radioactive Waste Management, by Y. S. Tang and James H. Saling, Hemisphere Publishing Corporation: Washington, D.C. 1990; (pp. 460, ISBN 0-89116-666-1).
those who play the decision-making roles at different levels of the government.
Rock Solid: The Geology of Nuclear Waste Disposal, by Elspeth Reid, The Tarragon Press: Glasgow, UK 1990; (pp. 204, £8.95).
The authors of this book believe that the technical community cannot agree on the details of how the task should be accomplished, even though there is general agreement that the required technology is available. Consequently, they have failed to present a convincing scheme to the general public, by whom these solutions have to be accepted. To make it worse, the waste management program has foundered because the issue has become political and decisions are sometimes made for political reasons rather than technical ones. A large portion of the blame for this lack of progress may well be on the technical community for their failure to provide the leadership that is necessary to get the job done. The nuclear industry and the nuclear utilities both made an early decision to keep a low profile on nuclear waste issues. As a result, the opposition has been able to provide a false perception to the public that nuclear power is unsafe and that we cannot dispose of the wastes. According to the authors, the purposes of the present book are:
"Rock Solid" presents an account of the geological problems involved in building a nuclear waste repository. The author describes the geology of some of the possible UK repository sites, explaining how sites are investigated (including computer models), and considers the crucial question: 'Would geological containment of radioactive waste actually work?'
Emerging Technologies in Hazardous Waste Management, by D. William Tedder and Frederick G. Pohland, eds. Symposium Series 422. American Chemical Society: Washington, D.C. 1990; (pp. 402, $89.95). This book resulted from a symposium organized by the American Chemical Society. The symposium organizers gave the definition of "hazardous" wastes the broadest possible interpretation. Problems and issues cover a range from municipal wastes, radionuclide control, and cytotoxic and biologically active hazards, to chemical contamination and degradation, and species migration in water, soils, and residues. Research topics cover the gamut from fundamental studies, the evaluation of significant analytical problems and species degradation mechanisms, to semipilot-scale testing of innovative management and treatment technologies. The authors' background and interests include physics, chemistry, and biology, along with mechanical, civil, environmental, nuclear, and chemical engineering.
• To create a general awareness of technologies and programs of radioactive waste management; • To summarize the current status of such technologies; and • To prepare practicing scientists, engineers, administrative personnel, and students for the future demand for a working team in such waste management. Thus, this book is aimed at serving as a textbook for students in the energy field and a reference book for
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1)956-1)53/X/91 $3.00 + .Ill) Copyright © 1991 Pergamon Press pie
BOOK REVIEWS
Radioactive Waste Management, by Y. S. Tang and James H. Saling, Hemisphere Publishing Corporation: Washington, D.C. 1990; (pp. 460, ISBN 0-89116-666-1).
those who play the decision-making roles at different levels of the government.
Rock Solid: The Geology of Nuclear Waste Disposal, by Elspeth Reid, The Tarragon Press: Glasgow, UK 1990; (pp. 204, £8.95).
The authors of this book believe that the technical community cannot agree on the details of how the task should be accomplished, even though there is general agreement that the required technology is available. Consequently, they have failed to present a convincing scheme to the general public, by whom these solutions have to be accepted. To make it worse, the waste management program has foundered because the issue has become political and decisions are sometimes made for political reasons rather than technical ones. A large portion of the blame for this lack of progress may well be on the technical community for their failure to provide the leadership that is necessary to get the job done. The nuclear industry and the nuclear utilities both made an early decision to keep a low profile on nuclear waste issues. As a result, the opposition has been able to provide a false perception to the public that nuclear power is unsafe and that we cannot dispose of the wastes. According to the authors, the purposes of the present book are:
"Rock Solid" presents an account of the geological problems involved in building a nuclear waste repository. The author describes the geology of some of the possible UK repository sites, explaining how sites are investigated (including computer models), and considers the crucial question: 'Would geological containment of radioactive waste actually work?'
Emerging Technologies in Hazardous Waste Management, by D. William Tedder and Frederick G. Pohland, eds. Symposium Series 422. American Chemical Society: Washington, D.C. 1990; (pp. 402, $89.95). This book resulted from a symposium organized by the American Chemical Society. The symposium organizers gave the definition of "hazardous" wastes the broadest possible interpretation. Problems and issues cover a range from municipal wastes, radionuclide control, and cytotoxic and biologically active hazards, to chemical contamination and degradation, and species migration in water, soils, and residues. Research topics cover the gamut from fundamental studies, the evaluation of significant analytical problems and species degradation mechanisms, to semipilot-scale testing of innovative management and treatment technologies. The authors' background and interests include physics, chemistry, and biology, along with mechanical, civil, environmental, nuclear, and chemical engineering.
• To create a general awareness of technologies and programs of radioactive waste management; • To summarize the current status of such technologies; and • To prepare practicing scientists, engineers, administrative personnel, and students for the future demand for a working team in such waste management. Thus, this book is aimed at serving as a textbook for students in the energy field and a reference book for
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