Managing the Plutonium Surplus: Applications and Technical Options: 1 (NATO Science Partnership Subseries: 1, 1) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0792331249 ISBN 13: 9780792331247

Publisher: Springer, 1994

Synopsis

The surplus of plutonium in the world is both an important security issue, and a fact with implications for nuclear energy and environmental policy internationally. The two perspectives are inextricably intertwined in considering options for dealing with the plutonium surplus. It was for this reason that two research programmes at the Royal Institute of International Affairs - respectively on Energy and Environment, and on International Security - jointly approached NATO with a view to organising a work­ shop on the issue. It was most welcome then to learn that the NATO Science Programe was already supporting plans for a workshop on the issue, initiated by Richard Garwin, and we were pleased to accept the resulting invitation to host that workshop. DrGarwin prepared the initial agenda and established contacts and initial approaches to many of the participants; we were able to develop the agenda further and extend participation in some complementary ways. The result was a most lively and broad-ranging internation­ al and inter-disciplinary discussion. As the hosts, the RIIA was also given lead responsibility for producing the pro­ ceedings of the workshop as a publication for NATO. Many of the papers to the work­ shop are more technical than usually involved in a workshop at the Royal Institute. Yet this is an area in which the policy options are unusually dependent upon a good under­ standing of the technical issues. which themselves are often a matter of dispute.

About this title

Synopsis

Superpower arms reduction, nuclear reprocessing and the abandonment or deferral of plans for fast breeder reactions have combined to produce a worldwide surplus of highly enriched uranium and plutonium. Both materials pose security and safety problems, and plutonium poses particular dilemmas for disposal or other ways of consuming the surplus. But new studies and technical developments have opened up new possibilities for managing the plutonium surplus. To highlight the issues raised and to assess these options, the Royal Institute of International Affairs hosted a NATO sponsored Advanced Research Workshop to examine technical aspects of the worldwide surplus of separated plutonium.These proceedings examine the state-of-knowledge about the amount, form, location and characteristics of separated plutonium, and the many and varied proposals for disposing of or consuming the surplus. With a total of 24 papers and commentaries from leading experts in a dozen countries, it provides an unprecedented overview of the state-of-research on ways of dealing with one of today's most pressing security problems, and the potential implications for nuclear energy strategies.

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 1994
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0792331249
• ISBN 13: 9780792331247
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 230
• Editor: Garwin Richard L., Grubb M.J., Matanle Emma