Letter: Nuke containers would hold up, even in accident

Monday, Sept. 25, 2000 | 9:29 a.m.

Paz's proposal has nothing to do with "whether lead and other heavy metals in the containers could somehow chemically react with the nuclear waste, causing the containers to degenerate and leak radiation."

That may be referring to some state of Nevada-sponsored work in unrealistically strong acidic solutions that have nothing to do with the Paz proposal or, for that matter, with container failures under expected transport or storage conditions. Suggesting this is "about the potential consequences of mixing toxic heavy metals and nuclear waste, as would be required for the transportation and storage of high-level nuclear waste" is not related to the Paz proposal.

The reference to "hazardous and lethal reaction during transportation and storage" is unrealistic. How much of your car, your shattered coffee cup and the busted wine bottle in your car dissolve into the ground water even if you have a terrible accident during a terrible rainstorm?

Massive solid metal barriers, solid glass and ceramic radioactive waste forms give little opportunity for dissolving into ground water even if temporarily exposed in an accident.

ABE VAN LUIK

Senior policy advisor, Yucca Mountain Project Department of Energy