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Utah should not become the "world's" dumping ground for nuclear waste, even the low-level stuff!
You've likely heard the news reports - EnergySolutions is talking about importing waste from eight nuclear sites in Italy. 20,000 tons of the stuff would be processed at the company's plant in Tennessee, and then about 1,600 tons of the lowest level waste would be shipped to Utah for disposal in Tooele County.
Utahns have gotten used to relatively harmless low-level nuclear waste from across America being dumped at EnergySolutions. Indeed, the facility serves a justifiable purpose. It has allowed several contaminated Utah sites to be cleaned up. But the idea of importing waste from foreign lands for disposal here simply doesn't sit right. Even if it is deemed completely safe and within the framework of EnergySolutions' license to receive and store nuclear waste, it isn't good for Utah's image.
Surely the Italians can find ways domestically to dispose of their own hot garbage.
