Governments strive to discover methods of efficient energy production in a world of widespread and excessive energy consumption. In addition, Scientists continually revolutionize the methods of generating energy. During World War II, scientists were the first to utilize a previously discovered method of nuclear fission, or harnessing power from radioactive elements. In this process, the nucleus of an atom is split, releasing energy. Now, this technique is utilized in nuclear power plants to produce 10.9% of the world’s energy ("World Statistics"). Despite the frequent utilization of nuclear power as a source of energy, there have been many nuclear disasters. Consequently, many scientists have become skeptical of the nuclear energy industry. …show more content…
No air pollutants are produced through the production of nuclear energy ("Clean Air Energy") while widely used fossil fuels emit harmful amounts of Carbon Dioxide and Nitrogen Oxide into the air ("The Sources and Solutions: Fossil Fuels"). These chemicals can negatively affect human health. Nuclear plants produce clean energy, and worker safety has improved. The employee accident rate in nuclear plants decreased from 0.38 accidents in 1997 to 0.1 accidents in 2015 per 200,000 worker hours ("US Nuclear Industrial Safety Accident Rate"). Worker safety has shown continuous improvement with fewer workplace incidents as stricter safety measures are enacted. Improved safety results are insufficient to eliminate the effects of nuclear disasters and the consequences for human life. As a result of a 9.0 magnitude earthquake in Japan, the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant disaster occurred. Radioactive isotopes, cesium-137, cesium-134, and iodine-131, were discharged from the power plant. The incident in Chernobyl released greater than 85% of the radiation produced in Fukushima; the radiation from the Fukushima nuclear disaster has reached 32 million residents of Japan, according to a report by Jonathan Samet and his associate, Dayana Chanson. Also, the 263,000 to 385,000 people affected by the accident have psychological issues, including stress and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms. The individuals have an increased chance of leukemia, breast cancer, and thyroid cancer (Samet and Chanson), and they fear radiation and contaminated drinking water in their area. Despite the lack of pollution production and increased safety, nuclear energy production results in destructive nuclear