Great Lakes United and the International Institute of Concern for Public Health recently released a map detailing nuclear power production sites in the Great Lakes region.
It includes operating, closed and proposed plants in the United States and in Canada. It also shows facilities that store or dispose radioactive waste as well as sites that mine and manufacture uranium.
The map indicates 38 operating plants. Some sites are within one kilometer of the Great Lakes or the St. Lawrence River.
For example, the Point Beach Nuclear plant is perched on Lake Michigan, just north of Two Rivers, Wis. According to the graphic, the plant has two operating nuclear power reactors and is a source of nuclear waste.
The map is the first comprehensive update of this information in 15 years, and shows disposal sites where nuclear accidents can occur.
An International Joint Commission task force indicated that releases from such facilities are substantial, but that the extent of knowledge about the releases and their impacts was “limited.”
The map can be used as resource for communities concerned with the release of radioactive waste and the risk of waste being brought in by ships in the Great Lakes’ shipping channels, according to Great Lakes United.
Each unit of electric power generated by nuclear plants is a unit not created by coal and natural gas plants which release carbon into the atmosphere. It will not be possible to generate enough power through through wind, solar and hydro to meet the needs of society, especially with the advent of electric cars. There is no record or measurable risk of any radioactive material being released into the Great Lakes, as long as these plants have been on line. New technology in the deactivation of spent fuel rods is also underway, which will mitigate the issue of nuclear waste in the next few years.
I am afraid about that! Radiations it is a extremelly serious thing for humans and animals! A “great lake” can not to be radioatictive!! Radiation do have cure! in fact, at this days, we have many possibles solutions for to clean the environmental. But do need a huge governamental decision and oversight for makes the corporations and industries to colaborate to solve that. Is dificult. but needs just a real simple governamental decision for that.
This is exactly why i dont wade in the lakes, fish in the lakes and sure as hell won’t eat anything from any of the Great Lakes.
The Great Lakes are threatened by many kinds of pollution but not radioactive wastes. The more nuclear power we use, the safer they are, as nuclear power REDUCES our hazardous waste issue. Spent fuel has never hurt anyone
Very handy. Thank you!
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A stellar resource for policy-makers and the public. Necessary and excellent work. Thank you.