Nuclear power has always been regarded with caution, but it seems to be especially the case now, in the wake of the Fukushima disaster which left Japan to contend with a concerning radiation leak. In response, A number of nations around the world have begun to reconsider their policies toward nuclear energy. In fact, there have even been some extreme cases, such as in Germany, where the government has promised to shut down all nuclear reactors within a decade.
And yet, there are other places where nuclear energy continues to exist and thrive. One such country is France.
According to an article on Oil Price, France leads the world in its effort to recycle nuclear waste.
"Using technology developed decades ago in the United States, the French recycle nuclear fuel cores in a production chain that begins at the La Hague plant in Normandy—the northwestern region known for its orchards and Calvados, an apple brandy—and ends a the Marcoule nuclear site in the southeast, near Avignon, on the banks of the Rhone," the news source reads.
Through this process, it is possible to extract useable material from nuclear waste and send it off to be used as fuel once again.
As the U.S. struggles to decide what to do with its own growing stockpiles of nuclear waste, it may be useful to learn from those who are already leading the way. By working with environmental consultants, American stakeholders can work to minimize the environmental risks associated with nuclear waste as they seek a way to reuse it.
