Nuclear Power Debate Opening Statement
Today, my opponents will argue that nuclear energy is the only source of reliable emission-free energy available today. While I recognize that nuclear power plants do not release carbon dioxide emissions, it is vital you understand that these same power plants produce dangerous waste. The waste, or spent fuel rods, is the most challenging aspect of nuclear power today. Nuclear power plants have been producing energy using uranium fuel rods for more than fifty years without a long-term storage plan for the thousands of tons of toxic waste they produce. According to the Nuclear Energy Institute, a typical nuclear power plant produces of twenty metric tons of radioactive nuclear waste every year, which amounts to around 10,000 cubic meters of high-level radioactive waste per year according to the World Nuclear Association. Without proper storage, spent fuel rods pose serious threats to our environment and to our health. The radiation emitted from the spent fuel has the power to cause cancer, significant genetic mutations, and birth defects. Also, leaks in spent fuel storage vessels can contaminate the groundwater, poisoning any surrounding ecosystem. The danger of the waste alone is enough evidence to show that we should not rely solely or heavily on nuclear energy.
My opponents may also argue that nuclear power is nearly renewable because we have a surplus of uranium. According to the World Nuclear Association, even with 5,000,000 tons of uranium available to us on Earth, we will extinguish our supply of uranium within eighty years. With 10,000 cubic meters of used fuel produced every year for eighty years, future generations will struggle to find fuel for these power plants and will also have to maintain waste facilities continually because some components of spent fuel remain radioactive for millions of years. My opponents will tell you that the waste from nuclear power plants can be reprocessed. According to the World Nuclear Organization 96% of the uranium in a spent fuel rod is reusable, and many countries such as Japan and France are reprocessing their uranium. However, due to complicated political conflicts, the United States refuses to reuse the uranium. Without reprocessing, we continue to extinguish our supply of uranium and produce a surplus of toxic waste. The treatment of the toxic waste and search for more uranium is not a burden I wish to bestow upon and my children and grandchildren. I do not wish to put them in danger. Do you?
My opponents may also argue that nuclear power is nearly renewable because we have a surplus of uranium. According to the World Nuclear Association, even with 5,000,000 tons of uranium available to us on Earth, we will extinguish our supply of uranium within eighty years. With 10,000 cubic meters of used fuel produced every year for eighty years, future generations will struggle to find fuel for these power plants and will also have to maintain waste facilities continually because some components of spent fuel remain radioactive for millions of years. My opponents will tell you that the waste from nuclear power plants can be reprocessed. According to the World Nuclear Organization 96% of the uranium in a spent fuel rod is reusable, and many countries such as Japan and France are reprocessing their uranium. However, due to complicated political conflicts, the United States refuses to reuse the uranium. Without reprocessing, we continue to extinguish our supply of uranium and produce a surplus of toxic waste. The treatment of the toxic waste and search for more uranium is not a burden I wish to bestow upon and my children and grandchildren. I do not wish to put them in danger. Do you?
Nuclear Power Debate Closing Statement
Although nuclear power may appeal to us in ways my opponents suggested, my debate team has shown that nuclear power is problematic in its production of waste, environmental and health risks, extinguishable fuel supply, and serious risk factor. The fuel we need to make nuclear power is NOT renewable and is troublesome to mine, mill, and dispose properly. The World Nuclear Association says nuclear power produces 10,000 metric tons of radioactive waste per year and we are not prepared to handle this issue. The burden that nuclear power leaves on future generations is too heavy and dangerous and there is no way to ensure that the waste isn’t disturbed in years to come. The most promising disposal of toxic waste is deep geological disposal, and it isn’t even in place in the United States yet. In addition, the 5,000,000-ton supply of uranium will soon be extinguished if we rely heavily on nuclear power. How will we cope with a lack of uranium in the future if we are heavily reliant on nuclear power for energy? For this and many other reasons, nuclear power is not a plausible source of energy.