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Going Nuclear: Notes from the officially unofficial book tour
I work in the analytical labs at one of Europe’s oldest and largest nuclear sites: Sellafield, in northwestern England. I spend my days at the fume hood front, pipette in one hand and radiation probe in the other (and dosimeter pinned to my chest, of course). Outside the lab, I have a second job: I moonlight as a writer and public speaker. My new popular science book—Going Nuclear: How the Atom Will Save the World—came out last summer, and it feels like my life has been running at full power ever since.
Neill P. Taylor
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 47 | Number 4 | May 2005 | Pages 959-966
Technical Paper | Fusion Energy - Tritium, Safety, and Environment | doi.org/10.13182/FST05-A812
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Studies of the safety and environmental impacts of fusion, both of future power plants and of ITER, have shown that a good performance can be achieved. Although it is difficult to anticipate the regulatory regime in which future fusion power stations will be licensed, the areas of public and occupational safety and short and long-term environmental impact are likely to remain important. In each of these areas, the outcome of various studies have been reviewed, leading to a list of issues which should be given attention to facilitate eventual licensing of a fusion power plant. Many of these relate to reducing conservatisms and uncertainties in the analyses, but also included are improved understanding of tritium retention and of dust generation, and development of materials to provide long component lifetimes. A full appraisal is also recommended of the viability of recycling of active materials after end of plant life.