Naples Standard

Rep. Byron Donalds has raised a critical question regarding nuclear energy: "What about the waste?" In his statement, he emphasizes the need for informed discussions on nuclear waste management and potential solutions to address spent nuclear fuel (SNF).

Donalds highlights that nuclear waste requires isolation from the environment for over 100,000 years after removal from reactors. The U.S. has accumulated around 90,000 metric tons of SNF over 70 years, which could power the nation for more than 400 years due to its remaining energy content.

He notes that SNF is not only produced by nuclear plants but also by hospitals and research facilities. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission classifies it into high-level and low-level waste categories.

The congressman points out that high-quality thermal energy generated by reactors is often overlooked as a beneficial byproduct. He advocates using this energy for various industrial applications.

Donalds discusses current solutions like on-site storage in dry casks at numerous sites across states, emphasizing their safety as confirmed by the NRC. He also mentions interim disposal options such as deep geologic repositories, though these face challenges like those seen with Yucca Mountain.

Transporting SNF safely has been demonstrated through thousands of shipments without incidents over decades. Recycling spent nuclear waste is another option with potential benefits but faces barriers including infrastructure investment and nonproliferation concerns.

Internationally, countries like France, India, Japan, Russia, and China have advanced in reprocessing nuclear waste. Meanwhile, Finland and Sweden have developed a joint repository system for SNF storage.

Donalds calls for bipartisan innovation to tackle America's nuclear waste issues and bolster global leadership while reducing reliance on adversaries like Russia and China for critical isotopes.

"Addressing our country’s nuclear waste challenges will ultimately assist with shifting the negative stigma associated with nuclear energy," he concludes.