Abstract

Nuclear power systems have been specifically designed to control the emissions of nuclear material, and so would seem to have conformed to the industrial ecology paradigm. Nevertheless, the nuclear industry has stagnated in many parts of the world, public opposition is widespread, and prospects for a revival are not great. One lesson from this example is that control of materials is not enough, for a technology that appears to be unacceptable to society. A further lesson is that the social, political and psychological factors must be taken into account in determining the acceptability of a technology. And, finally, the nuclear industry is an example of a technology in which recycling is deemed to pose a greater risk than disposal. The overall lesson is that the grand ideas of industrial ecology must be applied with caution.

Industrial ecology, while not yet a clearly defined field of research and action, can already be said to build on certain basic tenets: that industry-related environmental risks can be scientifically assessed; that such assessments can inform regulation and technical innovation towards cleaner production; and that cleaner production is achieved through greater control over waste streams and enhanced recycling of materials. To a great extent, all of these features are already represented in the nuclear industry. This short chapter discusses how far the experience of the nuclear industry can shed some light on the ambitious project of industrial ecology.

The Nuclear Fuel Cycle

Nuclear fuel cycles (NFC) are large-scale industrial systems with two principal products: electricity and warheads for nuclear weapons.