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Polymers
Reactions: Celebrating C&EN and choosing between nuclear power and climate change
October 20, 2023
| A version of this story appeared in
Volume 101, Issue 35
Letters to the editor
100 years of chemistry and C&EN
The Aug. 7/14 issue of C&EN nicely illustrates chemical advances in the past 100 years and some of its related issues. As an example, the described plastics(page 22) and biodegradable polymers( page 44) included their usefulness and any environmental concerns (pages 9, 34, 35). It appears that not even a US Environmental Protection Agency plastics plan(page 16) can bring parties together for a long-term solution.
The readers should also be aware of another potential issue with plastics if global temperatures continue to rise. Heat not only reduces plastic’s structural integrity but also accelerates plastic degradation. Please see “Heatwaves Hasten Polymer Degradation and Failure,” by Xin-Feng Wei and Mikael S. Hedenqvist (Science 2023, DOI: 10.1126/science.adj4036). Their example for a polyethylene pipe: increasing temperature from 23 to 40 °C drops stiffness by 40%. Construction using plastic-based materials exposed to atmospheric temperatures could be impacted by this potential issue.
Highlighting the pros and cons for chemical products helps develop a perspective. The immediate benefit countered by a negative long-term consequence sometimes recognized in the future could possibly be built into a risk-reward scenario for each product.
By the way, this was a great C&EN issue, balanced and informative. I look forward to seeing more of this type of reporting in the future.
Francis J. Waller
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Nuclear power versus climate change
The guest editorial in the Sept. 18 edition of C&EN(page 2) has hit the nail on the head.
If we are really serious about reducing carbon dioxide emissions, we will have to embrace nuclear, since wind and solar will require hundreds of years to catch up to current and future demands for energy. Hydroelectric power is already saturated.
The same issue had an article about nuclear wastewater(page 23) and a remembrance of Bhopal(page 27). Chemical and petroleum industries kill and pollute much more than nuclear but don’t seem to generate the level of pathological fear that nuclear does.
Only when we all decide that the risk of nuclear is less than the specter of carbon dioxide effects on climate will we move forward with nuclear. There is no other realistic solution.
So what’ll it be, folks? Climate change? Or nuclear? Take your pick.
Richard Martin
Richland, Washington
Chemical & Engineering News
ISSN 0009-2347
Copyright © 2024 American Chemical Society
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