FACULTY OF MECHANICAL

ENGINEERING

MEC600 – ENGINEERS IN SOCIETY

SUSTAINABILITY DEVELOPMENT
RADIOACTIVE POLLUTION

NAME: AZMI BIN A. MATALI

NO MATRIX: 2015110295
GROUP: EMD7M3A
LECTURER: YUPITER HARANGAN PRASADA MANURUNG (PROF.
MADYA. DR. ING.)
 MEC600 –ENGINEER IN SOCIETY INDIVIDUAL
ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT

SUBMISSION
LECTURER NAME DUE DATE DATE REMARKS
YUPITER HARANGAN
PRASADA MANURUNG
(PROF. MADYA. DR. ING.) 20 JUNE 2018 -on time/- late

No Name Student ID Group No

1 AZMI BIN A.MATALI 2015110295 EMD7M3A

Level Very Poor Satisfactory Good Excellent

Poor
Guidelines Scale 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10

Assessment Criteria (Report) Weight Scale Total= w

(w) (y) *y
Content/ Diagrams/Figures/ Discussion and Conclusion
Introduction. The effect to human society, world, 10
health, culture, legal etc.
Suggestion/Solution and challenge for 40
implementation and support United Nation
Sustainable Goal
Identify potentials un-ethical problems and 10
suggestions to overcome (Do’s and Don’ts)
Format, Language and Organization, References 10
and citation
Promote information for public awareness 30
TOTAL 100%

REMARKS:
Table of Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1
Type of Radioactive Pollution ....................................................................................................................... 2
1. Continuous pollution ........................................................................................................................ 2
2. Occasional pollution.......................................................................................................................... 2
3. Accidental pollution .......................................................................................................................... 3
Sources of Radioactive Pollution .................................................................................................................. 3
1. Cosmic rays ....................................................................................................................................... 3
2. Mining and processing ores of radioactive material ........................................................................ 4
3. Nuclear power plants ........................................................................................................................ 4
4. Nuclear weapons .............................................................................................................................. 5
5. Atomic waste materials .................................................................................................................... 5
Effects ........................................................................................................................................................... 6
1. Multifactorial diseases ...................................................................................................................... 6
2. Reproductive effects ......................................................................................................................... 6
3. Somatic effects.................................................................................................................................. 6
4. Genetic effects .................................................................................................................................. 6
Waste Storage and Dumping ........................................................................................................................ 7
Interim Waste Storage .................................................................................................................................. 8
1. Storage ponds .................................................................................................................................... 8
2. Dry storage ........................................................................................................................................ 8
3. Transport casks ................................................................................................................................. 9
Other ideas of disposal ............................................................................................................................... 10
What should we do to prevent a radioactive pollution? ............................................................................ 11
What should we not do in order to prevent radioactive pollution?........................................................... 11
Promotion and Awareness.......................................................................................................................... 12
Discussion.................................................................................................................................................... 14
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 15
References .................................................................................................................................................. 16
Appendices.................................................................................................................................................. 18
List of Figures
Figure 1 Uranium mining area [6] ................................................................................................................ 2
Figure 2 Nuclear bomb testing [7] ................................................................................................................ 2
Figure 3 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident [8] ......................................................................................... 3
Figure 4 Cosmic rays [4]............................................................................................................................... 3
Figure 5 Uranium mine [9] ........................................................................................................................... 4
Figure 6 Nuclear power plant [10] ................................................................................................................ 4
Figure 7 Nuclear weapon [5] ........................................................................................................................ 5
Figure 8 Nuclear or atomic waste material [11] ........................................................................................... 5
Figure 9 Storage pond [13] ........................................................................................................................... 8
Figure 10 Dry storage [14] ............................................................................................................................ 9
Figure 11 Transport casks [12] ..................................................................................................................... 9
Figure 12: Slide Radioactive Pollution Page 1 ........................................................................................... 18
Figure 13: Slide Radioactive Pollution Page 2 ........................................................................................... 18
Figure 14: Slide Radioactive Pollution Page 3 ........................................................................................... 19
Figure 15: Slide Radioactive Pollution Page 4 ........................................................................................... 19
Figure 16: Slide Radioactive Pollution Page 5 ........................................................................................... 20
Figure 17: Slide Radioactive Pollution Page 6 ........................................................................................... 20
Figure 18: Slide Radioactive Pollution Page 7 ........................................................................................... 21
Figure 19: Slide Radioactive Pollution Page 8 ........................................................................................... 21
Figure 20: Slide Radioactive Pollution Page 9 ........................................................................................... 22

List of Tables
Table 1 Commonly-accepted disposal option [12] 7
Table 2 Other disposal options [12] 10
Introduction

Radioactive pollution is characterized as the expansion in the natural radiation levels

caused by human exercises. Radiation occurs when the nuclear becomes unstable and falls apart
due to too many neutrons compared to the protons. This decay discharges atomic radiation as alpha
particles, beta particles, and gamma radiation.

Many minerals in the Earth discharge a slow and steady of radiation even the air contains
radioactive gases. Foods and our bodies still contains a small number of radioactive atoms like
potassium-40 and carbon-14. Sun also emits a radiation and the Earth receive the radiation from
the Sun as a source of energy. There are also artificial sources which emits a radiation such as X-
rays, smoke detectors, building materials and combustible fuels.

We generally aren’t harmed when exposed to the low-level sources of radiation, because
the effects radiation is depending on the length and level of exposure. However, medium to high
level of radiation will affects our health when we exposed to its radiation. It is because exposure
to radiation may damage the body’s internal chemistry, breaking up chemical bonds in our tissue,
killing cells, and damaging deoxyribonucleic acid also known as DNA which can cause a cancer.

Radioactive pollution occurs when the high levels of radiation are exposed to an area
without being control or leak cause by natural disaster or accident. The area contaminant with
radiation are not safe for human being and animal to live. Even plant, water and land which are
exposed to the radiation are not safe to be use anymore as long as radioactive atoms still exist.

The radioactive pollution is very dangerous to human being and animal. The radioactive
pollution has a long-term effect to the environment as the decay rate for radioactive material will
take more than even exceed to more than 1000 years depend on the radioactive material. Because
of that, it is important to take any possible actions to prevent the radioactive pollution from occurs.

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Type of Radioactive Pollution

1. Continuous pollution
Continuous radioactive pollution is type of pollution where radiation constantly
coming from uranium mines, nuclear reactors, and test laboratories, where the radioactive
contaminants are always present.

Figure 1 Uranium mining area [6]

2. Occasional pollution
Occasional radioactive pollution is type of pollution where radioactive pollution
occurs during nuclear tests or during experimental tests on radioactive substances.

Figure 2 Nuclear bomb testing [7]

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 3. Accidental pollution
Accidental radioactive pollution type of pollution which happen when experiments
involving dangerous substances fail, and the substances used for experimentation get out
of control.

Figure 3 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident [8]

Sources of Radioactive Pollution

1. Cosmic rays
Cosmic rays are atom fragments that rain down to the Earth from outside of the
solar system. These cosmic rays blaze at the speed of light and have been caused the
electronics problems in satellites and other machinery. Earth’s magnetic field and
atmosphere shields the planet from 99.9 percent of the radiation from space, however,
space radiation can become a serious hazard when exposed to the people outside the
protection of Earth’s magnetic field.

Figure 4 Cosmic rays [4]

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2. Mining and processing ores of radioactive material
Naturally-occurring radioactive material (NORM) is the term to described the
materials which contain radionuclides that exist in the natural environment. Some example
radioactive material that can be found in the natural environment are uranium and thorium
which have long-lived radioactive, and radium and radon which are the radioactive decay
product. This material always been present in the Earth’s crust and within tissues of all
living species. After this material have been explored and obtain, the mining area often
been abandoned. However, the leftover material in the mining area and radiation from
mining material still exist and always present.

Figure 5 Uranium mine [9]

3. Nuclear power plants

A nuclear power plant is a thermal power station which use a nuclear reactor as a heat
source. Heat is used to generate steam that will drive a steam turbine to produce electricity. The
nuclear power plant is a multibillion-dollar investment for choice of energy source. However, this
type of power plant will emit a radiation to the environment if there are lacking in safe procedure
to control the radiation from emits to the environment or natural disaster safety procedure to prevent
damage to surrounding.

Figure 6 Nuclear power plant [10]

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4. Nuclear weapons
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device which cause a destructive force using a
nuclear reaction either by fission or combination of fission and fusion reactions. This type
of weapon will release large quantity of energy only using a small amount matter. A nuclear
weapon can devastate an entire city by blast, fire and radiation. Because this weapon will
emit radiation during the explosion, this type of weapon is considered as deadly weapon
and have a side effect to the environment and community that exposed to the explosion.

Figure 7 Nuclear weapon [5]

5. Atomic waste materials

Nuclear waste material often come from nuclear power station. As nuclear reactors
continue to increases, the nuclear waste results from nuclear reactant must be seal
completely. The site which contains nuclear waste must have the best protection against
leakage or contamination and can be secure for a million years. Any accident occurs at the
site which hold a nuclear waste will cause a disaster to the people and environment.

Figure 8 Nuclear or atomic waste material [11]

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Effects
1. Multifactorial diseases
Various disease initiation and progression are depending on the multiple factors for
an example birth defects, and adult onset diseases. The birth defects are range from neural
tube defects, cleft lip or genital heart defect. And, onset diseases are range from diabetes,
hypertension, and coronary problems. These multifactorial diseases cause by genetic
mutation (DNA changes). Because radiation effect can cause change in DNA or damaging
the human DNA, multifactorial disease risk is high when exposed to the radiation.

2. Reproductive effects
When a person is exposed to the high level of radiation, it becomes a reproductive
hazard to the person. Some of the example are disfigured birth, physical impairment at
birth and other reproductive defects. The defects at birth caused by mutation at genetic
level and lead to variations which result in the abnormality during the pregnancy and birth.

3. Somatic effects
A person who are exposed to the radiation pollution may face problems involving
cells and tissues damages which can cause hair loss, mouth ulceration, hemorrhage, skin
discoloration and lower blood count or platelets. They are also may face problems of
cardiovascular disorders, leukemia, sterility and premature aging.

4. Genetic effects
Genetic effects are a chromosomal aberrations and mutations caused by radiation
and lead to damage to DNA strands, adverse effect to genetic break up. This may cause the
future generations get affected due to the such changes which take place in genetic set up
of the individual. The degree of damage caused by radiation a vary depending on the level
of radiation exposed to the person.

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Waste Storage and Dumping

Nowadays, millions of tons of a lethal radioactive material waste have been accumulated.
A number of possibilities have been considered for dealing any effect of radioactive waste to the
environment. The commitment to keep material away from mixing with the biosphere over the
time is necessary to prevent radioactive pollution becoming worst.

Ten to twenty half-lives may be required for most of the radioactive material to be
considered safe to the environment. Half-lives is referring to the time for radioactive material take
to give off half its radiation. For highly concentrated radioactive waste such as a waste from
nuclear power plants need at least twenty of half-lives needed to reduce before considered safe to
the environment.

Oxymoronic is referring to the nuclear materials as “waste” products to be disposed when

the material remains radioactivity toxic for up to millions of years. Radioactive liquids have been
dumped into the ground and waters at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation which caused the
contamination to the ground water and the Columbia river. At lake Karachi in Russia, by the
Chelyabinsk complex is so toxic with an abandoned radiation that is so lethal to human and water
level is dropping reaching to the ground level.

Therefore, an acceptable disposal option is required to manage radioactive material. The

following table set out most common accepted disposal options for radioactive waste. It should be
noted that the suitability of an option is dependent on the waste form, volume and level of
radioactivity.

Option Type of Waste

Near-surface disposal at ground level, or in cavern below Low Level Waste and short-
ground level at depth of ten meters. lived Intermediate Level Waste
Deep geological disposal (depth between 250m and 1000m High Level Waste and Long-
for mined repositories, or between 2000m to 5000m for lived Intermediate Waste
boreholes)
Table 1 Commonly-accepted disposal option [12]

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Interim Waste Storage
Interim storage is a temporary solution that have an important role in the management of
the most highly radioactive materials. Interim storage generally used for intermediate and low level
of waste.

1. Storage ponds
Storage ponds at reactors, and those at centralized facilities are 7-12 meters deep to
allow the waste to be covered by several meters of water. The circulating water function to
shields and cools the material. These pools are robust constructions which made by thick
reinforcement concrete with steel liners. Ponds at reactors may be designed to hold all the
waste, but usually the design assumes some removal of cooled waste for reprocessing or
move to dry storage.

Figure 9 Storage pond [13]

2. Dry storage
Some of the radioactive waste after have been cooled in ponds at least five years is
move to dry casks or vaults, typically with air circulation inside concrete shielding. Dry
storage has been used at nuclear power plants since 1986. To transfer a waste material from
wet to dry cask may need special shielded transfer casks.

8
 Figure 10 Dry storage [14]

3. Transport casks
Transport casks are shielded with steel, or a combination of steel and lead, and can
be weigh up to 110 tonnes when empty. The transport casks contain their highly radioactive
payload safely during transport. The internal structure of transport casks is designed to
maintain separation of fuel assemblies even when extreme accident occurs. The external
structure is designed to maintain safe containment even when extreme accident happens.
Before licensing the transport casks, the transport casks need to be tested for both internal
and external features.

Figure 11 Transport casks [12]

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Other ideas of disposal
Numerous options for long-term nuclear waste management have been discussed to date.
Some of the options still in the investigation and some already implements by other country.
However, there are option which are rejected by international agreements as this option will rise
more dangerous effect to the environment. Below is the table of ideas that have been discussed to
date.

ideas Examples

Long-term above ground  Investigated in France, Netherlands, Switzerland, UK, and USA.
storage  Not currently planned to be implemented anywhere.

Disposal in outer
space(proposed for wastes
that are highly
concentrated)
 Investigated by USA.
 Investigations now abandoned due to cost and potential risks of launch
failure.

Rock-melting  Investigated by Russia, UK, and USA.

(proposed for wastes that  Not implemented anywhere.
are heat-generating)  Laboratory studies performed in the UK.

 Investigated by USA.
Disposal at subduction  Not implemented anywhere.
zones  Not permitted by international agreements.

 Implemented by Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands,

Sea disposal Russia, South Korea, Switzerland, UK, and USA.
 Not permitted by international agreements.

 Investigated by Sweden and UK (and organizations such as the OECD

Nuclear Energy Agency).
Sub seabed disposal  Not implemented anywhere.
 Not permitted by international agreements.

Disposal in ice  Investigated by USA.

sheets(proposed for wastes  Rejected by countries that have signed the Antarctic Treaty or committed to
that are heat-generating) providing solutions within national boundaries.

 Implemented in Russia for many years for LLW and ILW.

Deep well injection  Investigations abandoned in the USA in favor of deep geological disposal of
(for liquid wastes) wastes in solid form.

Table 2 Other disposal options [12]

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What should we do to prevent a radioactive pollution?

i. Nuclear devices should be exploded under ground.

ii. Contaminants may be employed to reduce the radioactive emissions.
iii. Production of radio isotopes should be optimized.
iv. Extreme care should be highlighted in the disposal of radioactive waste materials.
v. Use a high chimney and ventilations at working place where radioactive contaminant is
high.
vi. Closed cycle coolant system with gaseous coolants of very high purity can be used in
nuclear reactors to prevent extraneous activation products.
vii. Fission reaction should be limited.
viii. A wet drilling may be employed along with underground drainage in nuclear mines.
ix. Nuclear medicines and radiation therapy should only apply when necessary with minimum
doses.
x. A waste management system must always be improved over time to prevent any accident
from occurs.
xi. Only authorized person may use a radioactive material with minimum usage.

What should we not do in order to prevent radioactive pollution?

i. Don’t disposed any radioactive material to the environment.

ii. Don’t misused a radioactive material for personal use.
iii. Don’t place a radioactive material at the public place.
iv. Don’t build a nuclear reactor closest to the public or society.
v. In the event of nuclear blast, don’t eat any food and beverage which contaminant with
radiation.
vi. Don’t handling a radioactive material without a proper PPE.
vii. Don’t overuse the radioactive material.
viii. Don’t disposed any radioactive material without proper waste management system.

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Promotion and Awareness

A promotion to create an awareness about radioactive pollution is important. To create

awareness to the public, info of the radioactive pollution has been spread through YouTube,
SlideShare, and Facebook.
YouTube:
Link
https://youtu.be/VH-H6_Qfoxk

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SlideShare:
Link
https://www.slideshare.net/MieHamdan/sustainable-development-radioactive-pollution

Facebook:

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Discussion
Pollution or also called as environmental pollution is the addition of any substance or any
form of energy to the environment at a faster rate than the substance be dispersed, diluted,
decomposed, recycled or stored in harmless form. Pollution can be harmful to any being in Earth
and environment. While, radioactive pollution is a high-level radiation that emit from any waste
radioactive material such as nuclear waste.

Nowadays, radioactive pollution become more common as the nuclear technology

becoming more popular in the engineering and science world. However, people still not aware on
the radiation hazard that is very harmful to human being and future generation. Even though
radioactive pollution still not common nowadays, but radioactive pollution will affect the future
generation if there is no control on the usage of radioactive materials.

It is important to take any precaution to prevent radioactive become more worst in the
future. It is because radiation hazard can be seen with our eye only, but radiation hazard is
considered one of most dangerous hazard which can kill us or affect the future generation. The
radiation hazard is considered hazardous because it can affect our DNA and birth defect may
occurs to the pregnant women.

There are many ideas to disposed the waste of radioactive material to decrease the effect
of radiation. Each idea has been explored, including some of them already enacted, contain major
flaws. Some of the idea is vitrification of radioactive material. Vitrification is the transformation
of radioactive waste in glass to reduce the movement of atom in the material, generates explosive
and flammable gases and very hot radioactive sludge. However, this process is vulnerable to
accidents and very expensive compared to the storing the waste on site. The safe and inexpensive
radioactive waste storage and dumping system still not found to date. We must do any research to
find any waste storage and dumping system which safe and inexpensive to be use for radioactive
materials.

The control of any waste radioactive product or material must be considered. We must
prevent any unethical behavior and irresponsibility doing by any person to prevent a greater
damage to the environment. The waste storage and dumping system must look carefully by an
authority.

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Conclusion
In conclusion, radioactive pollution is very dangerous to us, human being. It is because the
radiation from radioactive material not only will affect us, but our future generation also will affect
to the radiation. We need at least a million years for a place or environment to be safe for us if the
place or environment is contaminant with radiation. Any prevention must be considered to protect
us from radiation. Even though radioactive pollution still rare among us, but there are many cases
which this place is contaminant with a radiation. Nowadays, these places mostly known as ghost
town because the existence of town without people. To protect our future from radioactive
pollution, we must doing a prevention and precaution involving in radioactive materials.

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References
1. Radiation and Pollution | Environmental Pollution Centers. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.environmentalpollutioncenters.org/radiation/
2. Fuge, L. (2017, November 27). What is radioactivity? Retrieved from
https://cosmosmagazine.com/physics/what-is-radioactivity
3. Radioactive Pollution. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://chemistry.tutorvista.com/nuclear-
chemistry/radioactive-pollution.html
4. Howell, E. (2018, May 11). What Are Cosmic Rays? Retrieved from
https://www.space.com/32644-cosmic-rays.html
5. Dillinger, J. (2015, October 29). Countries With Nuclear Weapons. Retrieved from
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/countries-with-the-most-nuclear-weapons.html
6. Duddu, P. (2014, May 22). Radioactive riches – the five countries with the biggest uranium
reserves. Retrieved from https://www.mining-technology.com/features/featureradioactive-
riches-the-five-biggest-uranium-rich-countries-4274059/
7. Inglish, P. (2017, November 03). Successful Treatment for Multiple Myeloma That is
Linked to Nuclear Testing. Retrieved from https://hubpages.com/health/Tom-Brokaws-
Successful-Cancer-Treatment-Research-and-Impact-of-Nuclear-Testing
8. Lists, S. (2013, June 10). Top 10 Nuclear / Radioactive Accidents. Retrieved from
https://www.smashinglists.com/top-10-nuclear-radioactive-accidents/2/
9. Environmental Impacts of Uranium Mining. (2018, March 15). Retrieved from
https://greentumble.com/environmental-impacts-of-uranium-mining/
10. Blacher, M. (2015, July 09). Nuclear Evacuation Plans Limited Across Area. Retrieved
from https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/investigations/Evacuation-Plans-Limited-for-
Towns-Around-Local-Nuclear-Power-Plants-312899421.html
11. The Heavy Burden of Nuclear Waste. (2016, May 04). Retrieved from
https://global.handelsblatt.com/opinion/the-heavy-burden-of-nuclear-waste-510088
12. Storage and Disposal of Radioactive Waste. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.world-
nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/nuclear-wastes/storage-and-disposal-
of-radioactive-waste.aspx

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13. (http://www.forepoint.co.uk), F. (n.d.). Sellafield Ltd lifts 500th Multi Element Bottle from
Pond. Retrieved from https://wcssg.co.uk/2015/01/sellafield-ltd-lifts-500th-multi-
element-bottle-from-pond/
14. Arktis to help solve spent nuclear fuel storage issue. (2015, November 11). Retrieved from
https://www.arktis-detectors.com/news-media/detail/arktis-to-help-solve-spent-nuclear-
fuel-storage-issue/

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Appendices

Figure 12: Slide Radioactive Pollution Page 1

Figure 13: Slide Radioactive Pollution Page 2

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Figure 14: Slide Radioactive Pollution Page 3

Figure 15: Slide Radioactive Pollution Page 4

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Figure 16: Slide Radioactive Pollution Page 5

Figure 17: Slide Radioactive Pollution Page 6

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Figure 18: Slide Radioactive Pollution Page 7

Figure 19: Slide Radioactive Pollution Page 8

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Figure 20: Slide Radioactive Pollution Page 9

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