Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

FBaggins

(28,259 posts)
19. How is it not dangerous? Because amounts matter.
Tue Jan 31, 2012, 07:21 AM
Jan 2012

You see "least dangerous" and pay attention to only the second word?

Ever try playing the same game with arsenic? It's almost certainly in your daily diet... just not in amounts worth caring about.

Everyone comsumes tritium on a daily basis completely apart from nuclear power/weapons with no ill effect (you would have gotten this had you actually read the links you posted). Is that because any amount of tritium is always without danger? Nope... it's because there just isn't much of it.

Just as there isn't enough of it to care about in the off-cycle venting of a PWR.

Think of it this way. The NRC's standards are so tight that a reactor that leaks tritiated water can get in trouble even if that leak meets the federal standard for drinking water... yet these steam releases aren't even that "big" an issue.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Ill. nuclear reactor lose...»Reply #19