According to president of the Nuclear Policy Research Institute, Helen Caldicott, each typical 1000-megawatt reactor makes 200 kilograms of plutonium a year, reported The Age (17 April 2006, p.11).
A little goes a long way – the wrong way: Less than one-millionth of a gram is carcinogenic. Handled like iron by the body, it causes liver, lung and bone cancer and leukaemia.
Congential deformities in testicles: It has a predilection for the testicle, where inevitably it will cause genetic abnormalities.
Radiological life of 240,000 years: With a radiological life of 240,000 years, released in the ecosphere, it will affect biological systems forever. Because only five kilograms of plutonium is critical mass, countries importing our uranium to fuel their nuclear reactors could, theoretically, manufacture plutonium for many nuclear bombs each year.
And, makes nuclear weapons: The under-resourced International Atomic Energy Agency admits that it is physically impossible to prevent a determined country, whether signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty or not, from using imported uranium or its byproduct, plutonium, to make nuclear weapons.
The Age, 17/4/2006, p. 11
Source: Erisk Net