The use of nuclear fuel poses much lower risks to Philippine waters relative to other causes of destruction, a geoscience expert said.
Carlo Arcilla, the director of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), said nuclear waste could decay through “borehole technology” that digs into an isolated island for nuclear disposal.
“Science works best especially kung transparent siya. Mas marami pang nakakasira sa ating tubig kaysa nuclear,” Arcilla said during the virtual “Tapatan sa Aristocrat” forum on June 21.
The disposal of radioactive wastes in bodies of water, like that in Japan, is an area of concern for ocean conservation groups like Oceana.
“We have to have a law to put in place measures of disposal of waste. Republic Act 6969 (Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act) is not enough,” Oceana Legal and Policy Director Liza Eisma-Osorio said in the same forum.
“Marami na tayong issue sa karagatan natin like illegal unregulated fishing, plastic waste,” she added. Kelsey Telo