How does nuclear waste affect the environment?

Answer 1

Harmful Effects of Nuclear Wastes:Nuclear wastes usually contain one or more highly radioactive substances. Radioactive nuclear wastes pollute the earth to a dangerous level of toxicity. If the nuclear wastes are exposed to underground water, the radiations get absorbed in water and then enter in living beings through food chains. Nuclear wastes emit harmful radiations. These harmful radiations affect the living beings. These harmful radiations damage our tissues, cells and rd blood corpuscles. The nuclear wastes radiations can cause the diseases like cancer, leukemia, etc. Radioactive waste also spreads through water that is used in nuclear reactors. This has a huge effect on the surrounding aquatic life. Waste products from nuclear power stations etc. are becoming a serious problem.

Nuclear power plants do require huge amounts of water to cool their reactors. If this hot water is dump into rivers or oceans, thermal pollution may result. The heat can have a harmful effect on aquatic life. To protect the environment, the water must be cooled before it is released. Unfortunately, there is no way of stopping a radioactive nucleus from emitting radiation.