Get hip to MOX

[flamingdem]

http://www.naturalnews.com/031736_plutonium_enriched_uranium.html
MOX plutonium fuel used in Fukushima's Unit 3 reactor two million times more deadly than enriched uranium
Thursday, March 17, 2011 by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/031736_plutonium_enriched_uranium.html#ixzz1GyJO1I6Q

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A simple calculation reveals that one mg of MOX is basically two million times more powerful than one mg of uranium. This is clearly not a good thing when the plutonium-containing fuel rods in Fukushima may be damaged from the recent explosions and leaking into the environment.

A recent National Public Radio (NPR) piece explains that the half-life of plutonium-239, a component of MOX, is an astounding 24,000 years. The same piece explains that if even a small amount of this potent substance escapes from the plant in a smoke plume, the particles will travel with the wind and contaminate soil for tens of thousands of years (http://www.npr.org/2011/03/16/13460...).

Amazingly, most mainstream reports that mention MOX discount it as a non-threat. But the truth of the matter is that the threat posed by MOX is very serious. The NIRS report explains that inhalation of MOX radioactive material is significantly more dangerous than inhalation of normal uranium radioactive particles. You can read the entire MOX report for yourself here:
http://www10.antenna.nl/wise/469-47...

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/031736_plutonium_enriched_uranium.html#ixzz1GyJHXQ9h

[jpak]

1. The US is gearing up an extensive & expensive MOX fuel program

Weapons-grade plutonium is going to be blended-down, fabricated into reactor fuel at Savannah River Plant and supplied to US commercial reactors in Virginia.

[flamingdem]

3. I read that it's a way to recyle weapons grade material nt

[jpak]

5. It's the most expensive way and makes disposal more difficult & expensive

MOX fuel at maximum burn-up still contains lots of 239-Pu - some of it derived from the uranium (238-U) in the fuel and much of the original MOX-Pu is not used up.

The spent MOX fuel is highly radioactive and requires lots of special handling before it can be disposed.

The cheapest-easiest way to deal with stockpiles of Pu is to blend it down and incorporate into a ceramic matrix.

Then bury it deep deep deep

yup

[flamingdem]

2. FOX News is hip to MOX! Who knew?

The fuel rods at all six reactors at the stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi complex contain plutonium — better known as fuel for nuclear weapons. While plutonium is more toxic than uranium, other radioactive elements leaking out are likely to be of greater danger to the general public.

Only six percent of the fuel rods at the plant's Unit 3 were a mixture of plutonium-239 and uranium-235 when first put into operation. The fuel in other reactors is only uranium, but even there, plutonium is created during the fission process.

This means the fuel in all of the stricken reactors and spent fuel pools contain plutonium.
Plutonium is indeed nasty stuff, especially damaging to lungs and kidneys. It is also less stable than uranium and can more easily spark a dangerous nuclear chain reaction.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/03/18/plutonium-troubled-reactors-spent-fuel-pools/#ixzz1GyKDnbvV

[flamingdem]

4. FOX tries to paint a rosy picture of MOX

Apparently vaporized MOX is light weight allowing what are usually heavy particles to assume a light and carefree attitude and altitude as they zip over the the USA to inflict damage on breathers conceivably, well no one really knows .. anything about what letting this into the environment can do.. pray for Japan.
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But plutonium, like uranium, is a heavy element that is not easily dispersed in the air. It is the other byproducts of nuclear power generation, such as radioactive forms of cesium and iodine, that are more prone to spread and cause widespread contamination.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/03/18/plutonium-troubled-reactors-spent-fuel-pools/#ixzz1GyKbyP4v