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In
June, 2000, the United States and Russia signed an agreement
that each country would dispose of 34 metric tons (about
75,000 pounds) of plutonium declared surplus to military
needs. This plutonium is enough to
make many thousands of nuclear bombs. The US
Dept. of Energy (DOE) is planning to mix its surplus
plutonium with uranium and process it into mixed oxide
or "MOX" fuel for use in commercial nuclear reactors.
But MOX made from weapons
material has never been tried before
and carries many risks. It adds to
safety hazards in nuclear reactors and would
actually increase the environmental, health, and proliferation
threats posed by plutonium while creating incentives
for new plutonium production. It creates millions
of gallons of radioactive waste and costs more
than other options for managing plutonium. It also opens
the door for other types of MOX fuel, which would result
in more nuclear waste and plutonium.
MOX
must be stopped. Please help us!
More
information:
Top
Ten Reasons to Oppose MOX Organizations
Working to Stop MOX
MOX Plant EIS Scoping Comments
"The MOX Box"
(factsheet)
Sign the Statement Opposing
MOX Fuel
MOX Bulletin Board |
Top
Ten Reasons to OPPOSE the Use of Mixed-Oxide Plutonium Fuel
(MOX)
- MOX
is transportation-intensive.
This greatly increases the chance that plutonium could be
stolen or diverted and used in a terrorist weapon.
- Transporting
plutonium increases the dangers
associated with a rail or road accident.
-
MOX not only produces more waste than the alternative, immobilization,
but it requires "plutonium polishing" which produces
high-level radioactive liquid waste.
- The
composition of MOX and the nature of its reaction makes
MOX fuel more difficult to control in
a reactor than conventional uranium fuel.
-
Although 18 European reactors use MOX, it is made from commercial
grade plutonium, not weapons grade. Weapons
grade plutonium MOX has never been used in a reactor.
-
The US reactors slated to use MOX were not designed for
it, which could cause greater inefficiency and a higher
risk of human error.
- Studies
show that a serious accident at a MOX burning reactor
would cause twice as many cancer deaths
as an accident at a reactor using uranium fuel.
-
Fresh MOX fuel, containing extractable weapons-grade plutonium,
would be stored at reactor sites creating an insecure
de facto weapons storage facility.
-
Nuclear power technology is a first step toward nuclear
weapons technology. For years the US has maintained a line
between nuclear weapons and nuclear power by keeping plutonium
out of the utilities. MOX is a step backwards,
reversing over 20 years of non-proliferation policy.
- MOX
IS A BAD IDEA!!
MOX infrastructure supplies all the pieces needed for making
plutonium a desirable commodity, while it claims to dispose
of it. MOX legitimizes the production of plutonium by foreign
countries, and creates a market for something
that could used in a weapon of mass destruction.
Plutonium is dangerous and should be kept out of our economy
and out of our commercial reactors.
WAND's
Nix MOX Bulletin Board
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