Should nuclear waste be dumped in North Carolina’s pristine mountains?

Recently, a friend forwarded someone’s political stance on whether nuclear waste should be stored, dumped, or simply spilled onto the NC mountains… a place I have loved since childhood, and happen to call home.

The way I worded this title, certainly, you’d expect me to be yet another strong opponent of “dumping” of nuclear waste in my own backyard. It’s true that I’m a strong proponent of solar power, but that’s not the topic here.

As one who understands a great deal about nuclear power, I would suggest that the mere use of the word “dump” admits a stance that can certainly be considered popular, but is laden with guilt. This writer is making the assumption of irresponsibility, and probably has lots of evidence to show much better places to “dump” his nuclear waste.

As usual, all waste will be “dumped” somewhere unless it is lovingly stored. Either way, waste is waste, and is an important part of our lives here on Earth. It goes without saying that nuclear waste cannot be simply “dumped” anywhere on Earth without raising concerns for the residents in that area. A good friend of mine is an expert on this. Regardless where it’s stored (or dumped), it will never be able to compare to the atrocities on earth and man as how developing nations have dealt with the developed world’s garbage.

I trust that should nuclear power’s waste be stored, that it will be done responsibly and safely for all involved. This prayer is the best I can do right now, and all that is necessary, from my unique point of view.

Perhaps we can accept the spent rods and store them very lovingly and see it instead as being a true steward of the earth as opposed to refusing it, and sluffing it off on someone else. Maybe this author would prefer that we simply dump exposed spent uranium in some Mexican dumping ground, as has been done with much of the US’s toxic chemicals that our EPA would make very costly for proper disposal. Consider the alternative: true stewardship.

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