Abstract
Can we say that magnetic confinement fusion is a clean technology when several thousand tonnes of radioactive material will be produced during ITER’s lifetime? And what about safety? True, the deuterium–tritium reaction is not a chain reaction, but does this allow us to say that fusion is completely safe? Such major questions call for clear answers. However, as often happens it is not easy to find the relevant information in the available technical literature. Although nothing is hidden and relatively detailed documents are in the public domain, such reading is not easy for the layperson. In this chapter I summarize the main information available about ITER’s impact on the environment, safety, and waste management. Despite some well-known problems magnetic confinement fusion is undeniably a cleaner technology than nuclear fission since it will produce no long-lived radioactive waste and less waste overall. ITER has been designed to withstand all possible and conceivable accidents. The fact that very little fuel will be needed in the device at any one time is of course very reassuring. Another strong argument in favor of ITER’s safety is that it is under the control of the French nuclear regulator (ASN), one of the most rigorous in the world. However, experts consider that the fusion community will soon face new safety challenges because future demonstration reactors will be different from ITER. Such differences will have a significant impact on design and hence on safety.
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Notes
- 1.
However, somewhat unexpectedly the information and the documents on this important issue exist only in French, http://www.iter.org/fr/dac.
- 2.
The BNI order setting the general rules relative to basic nuclear installations was published in the Official Journal of the French Republic on February 8, 2012. It incorporates rules corresponding to the best international practices into French law. As explained on the ASN website, “The provisions of the BNI Order primarily address the organisation and responsibilities of the BNI licensees, the demonstration of nuclear safety, the control of nuisance factors and their impact on health and the environment, waste management, and emergency situation preparedness and management.” See http://www.french-nuclear-safety.fr/Information/News-releases/General-technical-regulations-applicable-to-nuclear-facilities, accessed on May 6, 2019.
- 3.
- 4.
This report is available online in agreement with Article 29 of the French Act 2006-686 of June 13, 2006 on nuclear transparency and safety, http://www.iter.org/fr/dac (however, the link doesn’t work on some computers).
- 5.
Presided over by André Grégoire, Honorary Senior Member of the Court of Auditors and appointed by the Bouches-du-Rhône administrative court, the ITER commission had five members, all volunteers.
- 6.
Causey et al. [1].
- 7.
Gastaldi [2].
- 8.
Like all radioactive substances tritium is a carcinogen, a mutagen, and a teratogen. However, given its low-energy (beta) emission tritium poses a health risk only when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin.
- 9.
- 10.
- 11.
As already indicated, this report was part of the request to obtain authorization to create the ITER BNI, http://www.iter.org/fr/dac.
- 12.
- 13.
A 100-year flood is a flood event that has a 1 in 100 chance (1% probability) of occurring in any given year.
- 14.
Menessier [3].
References
Causey RA, Karnesky RA, San Marchi C (2012) Tritium barriers and tritium diffusion in fusion reactors. In: Konings R (ed) Comprehensive nuclear materials. Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, pp 511–549. http://arc.nucapt.northwestern.edu/refbase/files/Causey-2009_10704.pdf
Gastaldi O (2007) Problematics due to tritium in materials in the nuclear field—some examples. INIS Repos Colloq Mater Mech Microstruct Hydrog Mater 39(43). http://www.iaea.org/inis/collection/NCLCollectionStore/_Public/40/034/40034735.pdf
Menessier M (2011) Accident nucléaire: “Il faut imaginer l’inimaginable”. Le Figaro, 17 June 2011. http://www.lefigaro.fr/sciences/2011/06/17/01008-20110617ARTFIG00610-accident-nucleaireil-faut-imaginer-l-inimaginable.php
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Claessens, M. (2020). Is ITER Really Safe and Clean?. In: ITER: The Giant Fusion Reactor. Copernicus, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-27581-5_10
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-27581-5_10
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