Despite bringing us “pollution free” power, one of the unfortunate side effects from the nuclear age is radioactive waste. This deadly byproduct has the power of not only destroying the land around it in our present age, but for thousands of years into the future.
Although there have been various discussions on how to “deal” with this deadly waste product, it seems that some Israeli scientists have found an ingenious way of not only removing it but providing an incentive along the way.
(Israel 21st Century) “It also makes a good recyclable material for building and paving roads,” he assures them. Earlier, Shrem told ISRAEL21c that EER can take low-radioactive, medical and municipal solid waste and produce from it clean energy that “can be used for just about anything.”
Using a system called plasma gasification melting technology (PGM) developed by scientists from Russia’s Kurchatov Institute research center, the Radon Institute in Russia, and Israel’s Technion Institute — EER combines high temperatures and low-radioactive energy to transform waste.
“We go up to 7,000 degrees centigrade and end at 1,400 centigrade,” says Moshe Stern, founder and president of the Ramat Gan-based company.
Shrem adds that EER’s waste disposal rector does not harm the environment and leaves no surface water, groundwater, or soil pollution in its wake.
What makes this technology really impressive is the cost factor compared to the current methods of dealing with nuclear waste. In order to keep citizens out of harms way, governments were forced to bury this material at a price tag of $30,000 a ton.
Moshe Stern’s technology on the other hand can permanently remove this deadly byproduct for about $3,000 a ton! Already countries like Ukraine seem very interested in using this technology to dispose of their wastes, and hopefully Stern’s invention will be used by other nations as well (as the less of a mess we can leave the future generation, the better off we will be).
Originally published on IsraGood and republished here for your enjoyment.
Except that this stuff is “low level”, ie, is usually not any more dangerous than uranium ore you can find lying around on the ground. So what they’re really doing is separating the radioactive elements from the nonradioactive ones. Oh, and if nuclear waste is bad because it will be around for hundreds of years, then what about all that coal ash which we produce, which is toxic, thousands of times greater in mass and will be around for ever?
I understand what you mean Tom!
But remember, these are only “baby steps” toward a much bigger goal (removing ALL radioactive waste from our planet).
Hopefully similar technologies can be developed to even deal with coal ash, helping to at least extend a “comfortable” existence on our rowdy planet we call Earth.
With Israel being one of the top leaders in the technology industry I feel proud to be apart of a community who is actively supporting these Israeli-American start-up companies. I have recently accepted the opportunity to design a website and provide online marketing services for a company who relocated to America from Israel last year with the assistance of The Beachwood Chamber of Commerce.
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I think I would like to know more about this low level waste with the PGM technology co done with Isreal and Russian scientists..I would like for someone to send me as much info as possible so I can brief a citizens advisory board on this important issue. Yes, baby steps indeed but great ones if we can get rid of all the low level stuff effectively.
Hey Jim,
Sure thing! I’ll shoot you an email either today or tomorrow of who to contact about this.
~Darnell
After reading your website, i still have no clue as to HOW radioactive waste harms the environment
I, however, believe that nuclear power stations are a good thing in the UK