Table 4.29 Welfare Effects of a Liquid-Metal, Fast-Breeder Reactor Fuel Cyclea Air Pollution Thermal Discharges Water Pollution Water Use Changes Solid Waste Land Use Disturbance Electromagnet ic Disturbances Ionizing Radiation Noise Aesthetic Disturbances Fuel fabrication Transportat ion Power generation Reprocessing Power generation Fuel fabrication Power generation Reprocessing Power generation Fuel fabrication Reprocessing Decomissioning Transmission Fuel fabrication Power generation Reprocess ing Power generation Transmission Power generation Transmiss ion Air pollutants are emitted from coal plants which may be used to supply process power. Cooling tower operation can increase local fogging and icing with effects on visibility, traffic, and convenience for nearby residents. Cloud and precipitation augmentation is possible, but should be minor, with little effect on crop productivity. Nuclear power parks would release much more heat than single power plants, but such parks would probably be sited in lightly populated areas. Process effluents can on occasion degrade drinking water supplies; degrade irrigation water, impairing crop growth; and reduce commercial and recreational use. Cooling needs during power production require extensive amounts of water if evaporative systems are used and can conflict with downstream uses. Small releases of trace elements into terrestrial ecosystems may locally reduce crop productivity. Exclusion zones around reprocessing plants remove land from other uses, whereas burial of low-level nuclear wastes may remove all further use of land involved. High intensity magnetic fields around transmission lines can cause radio and TV interference in fringe-reception areas. Low-level radiation emissions could act as an extremely low-level mutating agent for crops and livestock. Knowledge of a threshold level for adverse effects from ionizing radiation is uncertain. No major effects. High-voltage transmission lines create a barely audible hum. Aesthetic degradation due to cooling tower plumes and transmission corridors.
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