France could soon begin repurposing low-level radioactive metals into reusable products, and while critics aren't convinced by the proposal, other countries already use similar techniques.
As detailed by Euronews, French energy company EDF has presented a plan to build a new recycling center that would turn leftover material from the closed Fessenheim nuclear plant into items like door handles, forks, and saucepans. The site would be positioned across approximately 37 acres near the Fessenheim grounds.
"This would make it possible to process 500,000 tonnes [around 551,000 tons] of low-level radioactive metals over a period of 40 years," Laurent Jarry, the former director of EDF's Fessenheim site, told French publication Reporterre, per Euronews.
Nuclear facilities have elicited a range of strong opinions. Some believe nuclear power is the best way to improve climate resilience and provide the world with abundant, low-cost clean energy, while many skeptics, including Stanford University adjunct professor Amory Lovins, argue that renewables like solar, wind, and wave power are the most ideal path forward.
However, France already generates more than 70% of its electricity from nuclear, per the International Atomic Energy Agency, meaning waste management solutions are crucial.
According to the Euronews report, France isn't alone in its quest to safely repurpose nuclear metals. Sweden, Germany, and the United States have a process to "clean" metals before turning them into ingots — chunks of the material that can be processed further.
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Nonetheless, opponents of France's proposal fear that exposure to radioactivity would increase the risk of serious diseases such as cancer.
Generally, humans do already encounter radiation in their day-to-day activities. In the United States, for example, Americans are exposed to 0.62 rem of radiation annually, according to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which explains half of that dose comes from natural sources. Exposure can also occur through medical procedures like X-rays and industrial operations.
However, in 2021, an analysis by the French Commission for Independent Research and Information on Radioactivity found that recycled nuclear metal will retain "a tiny amount of radioactivity," per Euronews, meaning there likely would be additional, if minimal, exposure.
For its part, the U.S. Government Accountability Office in 2022 called for increased transparency surrounding the disposal of low-level nuclear waste in the country. One Massachusetts site that used depleted uranium primarily to produce ammunition is undergoing a yearslong cleanup after operations resulted in dangerous chemicals contaminating the soil and groundwater.
In France, the public can vote on whether to green-light the nuclear recycling facility from mid-October through February of next year. For the proposal to move forward, the nation would need to adjust its public health code and gain an environmental clearance.
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