Carlsbad site could be used for plutonium disposal

[TexasTowelie]

CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — A U.S. Department of Energy report indicates that a site in Carlsbad may be used to dispose of plutonium from surplus nuclear weapons.

The Carlsbad Current-Argus reports (http://bit.ly/1FdQaQL ) that the report released Saturday says Carlsbad's Wasted Isolation Pilot Plant could be a lower cost alternative to a federal program that would convert the weapons plutonium into commercial nuclear fuel.

That program is called the mixed oxide nuclear program or MOX.

A spending bill passed by Congress in December required the DOE to review the costs of plutonium disposal.

Read more: http://lubbockonline.com/filed-online/2015-05-13/carlsbad-site-could-be-used-plutonium-disposal#.VVQpF5Py3SI

[chillfactor]

1. sure it could....NOT!

one of the most beautiful natural wonders and tourist attractions in my state....contaminated by plutonium? I don't think so!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[newfie11]

2. It's been over 55 years since I lived in Carlsbad

Aside from the caverns I remember these bottomless ponds.
I certainly hope no freaking plutonium leaks out into the underground water supply.
This is a stupid place to store this stuff but our government never let that stop them.

[packman]

3. What about the Grand Canyon?

It is big and deep, you could put a lot of glowing radioactive stuff in there . And think about the special effects all that radioactivity could produce - a tourist attraction for sure.

[DhhD]

4. So the Carlsband Plant Manufactors Breeder Reactor Fuel Rods In Addition to Storage of Uranium?

I am keyboarding this https://courses.enger.illinios.edu/npre201/coursematerial/breederand_fussion/lecture22.html; leaving out an underscore between breeder and and, as I read the study. I do not think that this plant can do this.

There is a very hard and large miles long rock running underground and along the state line east of Carlsbad that contains waste oxides of radioactive uranium (Oxygen has a -2 oxidation state and Uranium has a +2 oxidation state). Uranium + one fused proton is Plutonium; Atomic Numbers/Proton Number as seen on a Period Table of Chemical Elements.