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Malvina Kartamyshev
Mr. Rogers
Government Period 4
13 October 2016
Reprocessing of Nuclear Energy
The issue of nuclear weapons has been going on since the mid-1900s, when the first nuclear
bomb was tested. But what about the reprocessing of nuclear fuel, and how does it impact our
society? Reprocessing is the chemical separation of fissionable uranium and plutonium from
irradiated nuclear fuel for the purpose of reusing it. The recycling of radioactive energy is
beneficial because it reduces the amount of radioactive waste produced, it extends the life of
available uranium, and is an efficient use of energy.
After burning radioactive fuel in nuclear reactors, high level waste is produced, and its our
job to find both a safe and remote disposal site for it. High-level wastes are incredibly
hazardous because they produce fatal radiation doses during short periods of direct exposure
(Backgrounder on Radioactive Waste). The wastes are by products of fuel processing plants,
research facilities, and nuclear reactors, and they need to be disposed of as soon as possible with
little entry into the environment. Currently, nuclear fuel is disposed in temporary spent fuel
pools or geological disposal sites, as there are no facilities for the permanent disposal of
high-level wastes (Alley 107). By recycling nuclear energy, however, the unused radioactive
waste could be produced into a stable glass form to be stored in an underground repository for
just 500 years. Normally, the waste from nuclear power power plants remains radioactive and
needs to be stored for more than a 100,000 years (Alley 118). We would be reusing 95% of the

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Uranium and only leaving behind 4% unused fission products for storage (Train 64). Thats a
decrease in both the percent of nuclear waste and the number of years for storage. Recycling
nuclear energy will reduce the amount of radioactive waste produced by 90%, and thus decrease
the overall need for its storage.
Radioactivity is dangerously rising, and its happening because of element 92, uranium.
High-Level Waste is increasing at an elevated rate of about 12,000 tons worldwide every year
(Madres). But what if there is another option? Recycling the uranium could provide a different
solution by reusing the current supply of nuclear energy. It extends the life of already available
uranium, an element that isnt unlimited. Uranium is found in minute quantities in soils, waters,
and many rocks (Uranium). There is approximately 5.5 million metric tons of uranium
currently available to us, while around 10.5 million metric tons remain undiscovered. At todays
consumption rate, we have roughly a 230-year supply remaining (Uranium Management and
Policy). As previously mentioned, reprocessing can reuse as much as 95% of nuclear fuel,
which will become vital in the future once the supply of uranium runs out. But where will we
turn if uraniums supply does end? Well have to find another source of energy or continue using
Uranium through the reprocessing cycle. But the longer we dont reprocess, the less time we
have with the remaining uranium. Recycling will drastically increase the life of our current
uranium resources.
The United States can only benefit from more energy, especially nuclear energy. Utilizing
nuclear energy instead of fossil fuels is greatly advantageous to the environment. Unlike fossil
fuel-fired power plants, nuclear reactors do not produce air pollution or carbon dioxide while
operating (Nuclear Power and the Environment). There have been four major nuclear

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accidents, while fossil fuels kill approximately 200,000 people in U.S every year (Where Fossil
Fuels Come From). Pollution is a serious issue, and focussing on nuclear energy is a great start.
If not for the ban on recycling, valuable uranium and plutonium could be extracted and
chemically reprocessed to make a mixed-oxide fuel for use in reactors to generate additional
electricity (Hertel & Auer). For example, a reprocessing reactor called the Integral Fast
Reactor uses a chain reaction maintained by fast neutrons with high energy, and ultimately
produces its own fuel (Integral fast reactor). The intention is to reprocess spent fuel in an effort
to provide an inexhaustible energy technology for entire nations. Reactors already account for
nearly 20 percent of the electricity produced in this country (Orszag). Reprocessing nuclear
energy, will be doing its job and creating additional energy without letting dangerous toxins into
the environment. By reprocessing, We can power the United States for thousands of years, using
already mined Uranium.
Many people argue that the reprocessing of nuclear energy is far too expensive, and it would
cause a proliferation of nuclear energy. The cost of reprocessing would be at least 25 per- cent
greater than the cost of direct disposal (Orszag).Yes, money would be spent, but gained as well,
as there is a multitude of advantageous aspects of reprocessing nuclear energy, such as less
radioactive waste and pollution in the environment. Less radioactive waste means that less
money would be spent creating and finding disposal sites, and recycling uranium means that less
money is spent retrieving uranium from the environment. Thus, were not throwing money away
without gaining benefits in return. Additionally, many organizations are involved in the
nonproliferation of nuclear weapons. For example, the Argonne National Laboratory implements
international nuclear safety by working with other countries. All projects support DOE missions

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in energy and environmental research, NNSA missions in emergency response and nuclear
non-proliferation, and DHS in safeguard and protection of our nation (Nonproliferation and
National Security). Nuclear proliferation could be a probable argument if the U.S wasnt
already preventing the issue.
Implementing the reprocessing of nuclear energy will be a big step in Americas nuclear
policies. It will be greatly advantageous to us, as it will decrease the need for the storage of
nuclear energy, extend the life of available uranium, and is an efficient use of energy.
Reprocessing is definitely a big change and it might take a few year to get used to the process,
but its undoubtedly worth the effort. I urge everyone to vote for the Nuclear Waste Bill of 2016
and support the reprocessing of nuclear energy in the United States.

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Works Cited
Alley, Rosemarie & Alley, William. Too Hot to Touch. United Kingdom: Cambridge University
Press 2013. Print
Background on Radioactive Waste. NRC Library. U.S.NRC, 3 April 2015. Web. 16 2016.
Daley, Michael. Nuclear Power Promise or Peril? New York: Lerner Publications 1996. Print.
Hansen, James. The Energy to Fight In justice. Earth Institute. Columbia University, 25
August 2014. Web. 8 Oct. 2016.
Hertel, Nolan & Auer, Matthew. Pro & Con: Should U.S. lift ban on reprocessing nuclear fuel?
NSSPI News Digest. The Nuclear Security Science & Policy Institute, 17 May 2011.
Web. 23 Oct. 2016.
How long will the world's uranium supplies last?. Sustainability. Scientific American, 2016.
Web. 17 Oct. 2016.
Integral Fast Reactor. Nuclear Engineering Division. Argonne National Laboratory, 1 June
2016. Web. 8 Oct. 2016.
Madres, Brett. Storage and 'Disposal' of Nuclear Waste. Introduction to Nuclear Energy.
Stanford University, 11 March 2011. Web. 23 Oct. 2016.
Maehlum, Mathias Aarre. Reprocessing/Recycling and Disposal. Nuclear Waste. Energy
Informative, 2016. Web. 17 Oct. 2016.
Nonproliferation and National Security. Capabilities. Argonne National Laboratory, 20 April
2016. Web. 17 Oct. 2016.
Nuclear Power and the Environment. Nuclear Explained. U.S Energy Information
Administration, 12 Nov. 2015. Web. 23 Oct. 2016.

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Orszag, Peter. Costs of Reprocessing Versus Directly Disposing of Spent Nuclear Fuel. CBO
Testimony. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources United States Senate, 14 Nov.
2007. Web. 23 Oct. 2016.
Radioactive Wastes-Myths and Realities. World Nuclear Association. Reuse of World Nuclear
Association, 2016. Web. 16 Sep. 2016.
Russel, Train. Nuclear Energy Nuclear Waste. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers 1992.
Print.
Uranium-Where Is It Found. Natural Resources. New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Natural
Resources, 17 May 2016. Web. 23 Oct. 2016.
Uranium Management and Policy. Office of Nuclear Energy. U.S Department of Energy,
August 2016. Web. 23 Oct. 2016.
Where Fossil Fuels Come From. Energy Story. California Energy Commission, 2012. Web. 23
Oct. 2016.

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