It's a job setting that likely has workers' compensation insurers cringing.
Technicians inside a government lab in Tennessee are recycling unused nuclear warheads with a process that involves a cauldron heated to 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit, as described by CNN.
The purpose — turning uranium from would-be doom-makers into low-carbon fuel — could power next-gen nuclear reactors. Diluted uranium from the bombs is in high demand as nuclear innovations advance and foreign supplies of the material tighten, according to CNN.
"We need some firm, clean baseload electricity — nuclear provides that," Michael Goff of the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy told the news agency.
America has 54 nuclear power plants that provide about 19% of the nation's electricity. Another 21% comes from renewable sources such as the sun and wind, all per government statistics. It's part of the way the country is switching to cleaner fuel to limit the amount of heat-trapping, planet-plaguing air pollution being sent skyward.
NASA links the fumes to greater risks for severe weather, wildfires, and other problems.
Nuclear continues to be an attractive option because of its ability to provide abundant, emissions-free power. Innovations such as small modular reactors, which can be transported to remote locations, or possibly even used to power ships, are in development.
The U.S. had received most of its enriched uranium for nuclear power from Russia as part of a deal following the Cold War. But the war in Ukraine has strained relations, and the supply stopped. Now the government is expected to pump a couple of billion dollars into stateside nuclear fuel production facilities. Old warheads are part of a plan to patch together a supply until those projects start production, all per CNN.
The report notes that details on the U.S. uranium supply are classified. The Arms Control Association lists the U.S. and Russia as world leaders in warheads, with 5,748 and 5,580.
🗣️ Which of these factors would most effectively convince you to support nuclear energy projects in your area?
🔘 Lower energy bills 💸
🔘 Safety and reliability ✅
🔘 More local jobs 👷♀️
🔘 Environmental benefits 🌎
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
"Within their possession, they have more than enough [highly enriched uranium] to make many, many, many tons of [nuclear fuel]," Jeff Navin, TerraPower's director of external affairs, told CNN. TerraPower is a Bill Gates-backed company working on a coal-to-nuclear plant in Wyoming.
While the effort to get the uranium flowing is on, nuclear critics have clear concerns. Radioactive waste and rare yet disastrous meltdowns are the most publicized.
Physicist Amory Lovins, co-founder of RMI, recently told The Cool Down that evidence shows renewable power sources are more efficient options. RMI is a nonprofit working on clean-energy solutions.
"Nuclear costs are increasing," he said. "The cheapest way to build power facilities to meet a flat load is variable renewables. That is solar and wind in almost all countries."
Much of the elements involved in nuclear energy are often mischaracterized in popular culture. Nuclear waste, for example, doesn't come in giant barrels with green, glowing ooze. The spent fuel consists of small ceramic pellets, as described by the Energy Department.
The uranium fuel looks like pieces of charcoal in a photo published by CNN. It is the critical material for what proponents consider to be the energy source of the future.
"In order to meet our energy security needs and our climate goals, we do need significantly more nuclear energy deployed," Goff told CNN.
While warhead recycling is an expert-level task, anyone can take part in reusing shelved items that may end up in a landfill. Additionally, plastic waste may not be radioactive, but its proliferation in our world is of great concern. Using plastic-free alternative products is a great way to help out on that front, as well.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
