The Ethical Aspects of Choosing a Nuclear Fuel Cycle

TL;DR

This paper explores the ethical considerations in selecting a nuclear fuel cycle, addressing issues like resource depletion, waste management, and cultural attitudes, highlighting complex moral dilemmas and the limitations of reducing uranium consumption.

Contribution

It provides an ethical analysis of nuclear fuel cycle choices, emphasizing cultural differences and the nonidentity problem affecting waste reduction strategies.

Findings

Reducing natural uranium consumption is not feasible for waste reduction.

Ethical issues include resource depletion, waste accumulation, and justice.

Cultural attitudes influence nuclear safety perceptions.

Abstract

In this paper, we addressed the problem of choosing a nuclear fuel cycle. Ethical problems related to the choice of a nuclear fuel cycle, such as the depletion of natural uranium reserves, the accumulation of nuclear waste, and the connection with the problems of nonidentity and distributive justice are considered. We examined cultural differences in attitudes toward nuclear safety and the associated ambiguities in the choice of a nuclear fuel cycle. We suggested that the reduction in consumption of natural uranium does not seem to be a feasible way of reducing nuclear waste because of the nonidentity problem.