News Release

Why Canadian trash costs $30,000 per gram (video)

Business Announcement

American Chemical Society

Why Canadian trash costs $30,000 per gram (video)

image: 

Join our host, George, as he explores how tritium is produced and used, and why its use as a fusion fuel is completely different from its use in exit signs. As demand for clean, limitless power grows, companies are racing to secure their piece of the tritium pie, making this once-discarded nuclear waste a hot commodity.

view more 

Credit: The American Chemical Society

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16, 2024 — How do you turn nuclear waste into a $30,000-per-gram commodity? Tritium, once discarded as a by-product of Canadian nuclear reactors, is now one of the most expensive materials on Earth. This rare isotope of hydrogen powers glow-in-the-dark keychains, exit signs that can stay bright for two decades without power and cutting-edge fusion energy research.

Join our host, George, as he explores how tritium is produced and used, and why its use as a fusion fuel is completely different from its use in exit signs. As demand for clean, limitless power grows, companies are racing to secure their piece of the tritium pie, making this once-discarded nuclear waste a hot commodity.

Reactions is a video series produced by the American Chemical Society and PBS Digital Studios. Subscribe to Reactions and follow us on X, formerly Twitter @ACSReactions.

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS’ mission is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and all its people. The Society is a global leader in promoting excellence in science education and providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, eBooks and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a leader in scientific information solutions, its CAS division partners with global innovators to accelerate breakthroughs by curating, connecting and analyzing the world’s scientific knowledge. ACS’ main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

Follow us: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram


Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.