Nuclear Waste Documentary | Into Eternity (released 2009)
Understanding the threat posed from nuclear radiation following Japan’s earthquake and tsunami which crippled the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility, we also are brought face to face with the serious long-term issue of nuclear waste. Nuclear waste as well as core meltdown issues at the Japan reactors are a sobering and scary reminder for Japan and the world of the health consequences this industry continues to spawn for life on the planet. As we come to terms with this real-time nuclear crisis in Japan, I’d like to highlight for you a meaningful documentary about nuclear waste management, called Into Eternity.
This 2009 documentary describing Finland’s nuclear waste management program, provides a look at what the rest of us should be doing with our nuclear waste, but aren’t. The building of Finland’s well planned nuclear waste disposal program captured in this film is both fascinating and informative, an easy to digest format on the perils of nuclear energy and prerequisites for long-term management of nuclear waste. Presently tons of nuclear waste is being stored in temporary water storage or dry storage (concrete) around the planet, which is also how nuclear waste has being stored at the Fukushima Daiichi reactors. It would be hypocritical and callous to point the finger at the Japanese during the aftermath of these historic and devastating natural events, as most of the 450+ nuclear reactors around the world have the same safety issues. Today most countries don’t consider the allocation of monies for long-term waste disposal to be a pressing priority, yet waste remains radioactive and potentially dangerous for thousands of years. Following the quake I heard a lot about the Core reactor safety issues at the Japan reactors, but have heard much less about the nuclear waste issues at these same sites. Rather than share yet another diatribe on nuclear energy issues, I thought I’d simply encourage you to see this film. Filmmaker Michael Madsen tells us a somewhat chilling story that needs to be told, shared and acted on, if we truly mean to build a sustainable future.
What has also been clarified for us as a result of the nuclear emergency in Japan, is the misinformation campaigns around nuclear energy safety issues, and the secrecy of the nuclear industry at large which demonstrates their inability to simply acknowledge and respond appropriately to safety issues it’s responsible for creating. Also see our article on long-term nuclear waste management around the world, posted a couple of days before before the disaster struck Japan.
Watch Into Eternity | Documentary run time 1:15:31 (allow video to buffer and load)
