Re: Coal vs. Nuclear

[Alan Enns <aenns@unixg.ubc.ca>]

At 03:33 AM 04/12/95 -0600, you wrote:
>
>On 12/1/95, Ron Kathren wrote in response to an inquiry on radioactive 
>materials released by coal fired plants:
>
>
> ...the real purpose of this is to hope that we will not try to 
> justify nuclear power by noting that coal fired plants release more 
> radioactivity.  Such an overly simplistic comparison does not do our 
> profession justice.  Let us not lost sight of our mission:  
> PROTECTION OF PEOPLE (maybe especially workers) AND THE ENVIRONMENT 
> FROM THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF RADIATION, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME 
> REALIZING THE BENEFITS FOR MANKIND. 
> 

Really a problem I see is that the public perceives the waste products of
nuclear power as somehow being a NEW threat to our environment which is
unique to the nuclear power industry.  It surprises many individuals to
learn that the consumption of fossil fuels releases radionuclides to the
environment, and has done so ever since time began.  I was only attempting
to get some sort of ballpark comparison of the levels involved.  

Alan Enns
aenns@unixg.ubc.ca