Fissionable material

This book is a presentation of controversies surrounding nuclear energy discussions in the Netherlands and aims to show that there are serious arguments against nuclear energy. Chapters on the following topics are included: the various dimensions of the energy discussion, the background to the existence of controversies in the nuclear energy discussion, the relation between nuclear energy and prosperity, different opinions concerning the cost of producing electricity from nuclear energy, radioactive waste, the consequences of a large scale accident, the relation between the peaceful use of nuclear energy and the proliferation of nuclear weapons, the effects of low radiation doses, the relation between nuclear energy and developments in the Third World, the effect of nuclear energy on democracy. The authors of these chapters, themselves critical of nuclear energy, have described the particular controversy and have given the viewpoints of both advocates and adversaries, followed by their own opinion. The conclusions from each chapter are recapitulated in a summary and the various components of the nuclear energy cycle are presented in an appendix. (C.F.)