Lecture on Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Waste Management to mark World Science Day

Aligarh: Prof Bhanu Prakash Singh, Chairman, Department of Physics, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) stressed on the management of radioactive waste in an online talk on ‘New Directions in Nuclear Energy Generation and Nuclear Waste Management’ of the Department of Physics to mark the ‘World Science Day’.

He delved on the series of stages in Nuclear Waste Management—including planning and preparation, treatment, packaging, storage and disposal.

Prof Singh added: “The enduring problem of nuclear waste, kept energy generated by splitting atoms on the sidelines, even if that energy was virtually carbon free. But as the climate crisis deepens and the need to transition away from fossil fuels becomes urgent, attitudes may be shifting. Nuclear energy is part of the solution to global warming”.

He discussed the methods of energy generation and significance of nuclear energy and the challenges faced by the developing countries.

“The accelerator driven sub-critical systems are useful not only for generating energy similar to conventional reactors but also safe and can utilise the trans-uranic elements producing energy and incinerating the long-lived fission fragments”, said Prof Singh while discussing the working of advanced nuclear power reactors.

He pointed out that the ‘weapon grade plutonium’ can also be incinerated and in turn used for producing energy.

Prof Singh highlighted key scientific aspects and solutions provided by science, technology and innovation.