this post was submitted on 31 Aug 2023
140 points (91.2% liked)

Hacker News

1770 readers
1 users here now

This community serves to share top posts on Hacker News with the wider fediverse.

Rules0. Keep it legal

  1. Keep it civil and SFW
  2. Keep it safe for members of marginalised groups

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

There is a discussion on Hacker News, but feel free to comment here as well.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] Dulusa 1 points 1 year ago

Yes, we could reduces the nuclear waste by recycling it and the technology for that exists since nearly the beginning of nuclear energy.

But the political pressure and the fearmongering of nuclear, paid by oil money, prevented the necessary longterm investmenst in that area.

To put the amont of nuclear waste in perspective.

  • Total nuclear high level waste globally since existence: around 400 000 tonnes
  • Yearly produced hazardous waste globally: around 400 000 000 tonnes

Nuclear waste is merely a dent in comparsion to alle the problematic waste we create. At least are able to contain it, while we are not able to contain a lot of the other stuff.

Adding a random comparsion for scale. The skyscraper Burj Khalifa in Dubai weights 500 000 tonnes.