Attempting to turn atomic waste into power and simultaneously making the world safer

Can we truly use the waste that we already have to help fuel and give energy to countries that are in need of it? While this is in its early phases, if this were to come to pass it could be one of the greatest advances in getting and reusing waste in decades. We would be able to worry less about the extra and possibly harmful effects of the uranium and use the plutonium in a more beneficial and worthwhile manner. Now this does not only help reduce the extra waste that we are currently making now but uses it in a manner where people everywhere may one day benefit from it. Another great advantage that this simultaneously helps is to deter in the production of nuclear weapons. “Today’s nuclear reactors run on concentrations of 3 to 5 percent uranium 235, an enriched fuel that leaves behind a pure, mostly natural waste, uranium 238. A uranium bomb runs on more than 90 percent uranium 235.” By using the reactors that Bill Gates and others hope to one day use, countries will no longer require storing up on uranium 235 because the reactors use primarily uranium 238 and very little uranium 235. This would allow the UN to monitor countries that are possible threat when it comes to nuclear threats because the amount of uranium required is far more that what they would ever need to have stored up at one time. So while this is still far off in the future we can hope that some form of plan can be developed. Because it will help people as a whole through electricity, help to protect people from hostile nations that could try to create a nuclear bomb, and eliminate some waste. And while nuclear power is still effective, I think people like Bill Gates amongst other wealthy and educated people should work together to try to find a more clear and hopefully permanent solution. I do find that it’s a little sad however, that this was started by Bill Gates and not an actual government because the government should have the interests of the people under it as their priority first and before anything else. I guess we can only hope everything turns out for the best and that one day this will be used for the good it was originally thought up for.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/25/business/energy-environment/atomic-goal-800-years-of-power-from-waste.html?pagewanted=2&_r=0&ref=science