Why is nuclear power considered to be a “clean” energy source when its waste is so contaminating/dangerous?

Question

Like. Nuclear waste/disasters contaminate areas for thousands of years and cause cancer. Why is that “clean”?

In: 9

Answer 1

Clean in the context of global warming. Nuclear energy produces very little GHG potential per kWh of energy produced.

Further; the overwhelming majority of “nuclear waste” is actually produced away from nuclear power and nuclear weapon facilities. It’s basically just either mildly irradiated trash (that has to be allowed to “cool off” for lack of a better word before being disposed of normally)…or is just *suspected* of being mildly irradiated trash. The actual total amount of the real scary nuclear waste produced by all civilian nuclear projects would fit in an olympic swimming pool with room to spare.