Does Fusion produce radioactive nuclear waste the same way fission does?
Nuclear fission power plants have the disadvantage of generating unstable nuclei; some of these are radioactive for millions of years. Fusion on the other hand does not create any long-lived radioactive nuclear waste. A fusion reactor produces helium, which is an inert gas. It also produces and consumes tritium within the plant in a closed circuit. Tritium is radioactive (a beta emitter) but its half life is short. It is only used in low amounts so, unlike long-lived radioactive nuclei, it cannot produce any serious danger.
The activation of the reactor’s structural material by intense neutron fluxes is another issue. This strongly depends on what solution for blanket and other structures has been adopted, and its reduction is an important challenge for future fusion experiments.
Comments
Probably the most serious health risk of Uranium is that it is toxic in the same way as Lead and Mercury with a potency somewhere between the two.
I was trying to explain once in high school - that the order of fears i have about uranium rod is in the following order:
1st being hit on the head with it
2nd being poisoned
3rd being arrested for possessing it
very very remote 4th - radiation.
Fusion - Frequently asked questions | International Atomic Energy Agency http://www.iaea.org/topics/energy/fusion/faqs :