The pros and cons of nuclear energy

In the last few years, the use of atomic energy and the construction of nuclear power plants has been a very controversial and disputed issue. Nuclear power is a sustainable and clean form of energy since it does not produce emissions of greenhouse gases and it is not contaminating, thereby contributing to putting into practice the concept of sustainable development. The problem is that it also has many disadvantages. For example, building a nuclear power plant requires high costs and many years of construction work. Furthermore, its maintenance and its subsequent dismantling require further expenses and all nuclear power plants produce an average of thirty tonnes of radioactive waste each year. This leads to another form of contamination known as radioactivity. This problem concerns human beings because high radioactivity levels lead to a rise in the incidence of cancer and other diseases, as well as natural elements, given that this type of waste can contaminate the land and water-bearing strata.

In addition, it is important to stress that for years nuclear energy has played a significant and irreplaceable role in the field of medicine, thus constituting the so-called “nuclear medicine”. We are not only talking about radiology, X-rays and CAT scans, but about the fight against cancer as well. In fact, thanks to methods like scintigraphy and positron emission tomography known as a PET scan very accurate check-ups can be carried out.