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MOX program supporters contend that, in this country, the chances of a severe nuclear accident with a large-scale plutonium or uranium release are extremely remote. They also note that modifications to many U.S. Mark I and ice-condenser reactors have made them less prone to radioactive leaks. “The risks are miniscule,” says Ken Bromberg, the National Nuclear Security Administration’s assistant deputy administrator for fissile materials disposition.
Nevertheless, the grim spectacle in Japan has stirred doubts about U.S. MOX plans. In late March, after plutonium was found in the soil at Fukushima Daiichi, Representative Edward Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat and a leader on energy issues, called for an “immediate review of the safety issues associated with MOX fuel fabrication and use here in the United States, including whether it makes sense to move forward.”
Unfortunately, it’s not clear what other options we have. Over the last decade, while we’ve been pouring resources into MOX, research into other techniques like immobilization has stalled. Switching courses now would mean sinking more money into unproven technologies. That isn’t a particularly appealing option. Then again, as the events at Fukushima show, neither is doubling down on MOX.
