Letter: Government acts responsibly in looking for nuclear waste dump

Tuesday, Feb. 10, 1998 | 10:50 a.m.

I believe our government is acting responsibly in attempting to find a solution to a major environmental problem -- the safe disposal of thousands of tons of radioactive waste. This waste will remain radioactive for thousands of years. Current on-site storage methods at the reactor sites are not designed to shield radioactivity from the environment for more than 100 years. Rather than leaving this problem to future generations, the government is trying to solve it now. It remains obvious that, at some point, this waste will have to be moved to a safer location. Although it will be a political nightmare, government and industry have the knowledge, experience and technology to safely transport the waste. There are well over a million shipments of radioactive materials on our highways each year. I never hear of any major problems.

I believe the biggest threat to public safety in the waste transportation process will result from the actions of uninformed, scared and angry people. Therefore, I urge citizens to become better educated on the true safety and health risks associated with radioactive waste.

William G. Phillips, certified radiation health physicist