How do radioactive wastes affect the environment?

Human and earth is already exposed to radiation but extreme exposure to radiation is dangerous.
Radioactive wastes from facilities that process fuels, mining and refining of radioactive elements
especially uranium, atomic weapon manufactures, medicinal processes, nuclear power plant and
improper practices of radioactive waste disposal can cause a serious problem in our environment.
According to some researches, radioactive waste contains radionuclides and it was stated that
radionuclides are the unstable atoms of an element that decay or decompose naturally and emits
energy in the form of radiation. This radionuclides can remain active up to million years depend on its
radioactive decay properties.
Radioactive waste as a water pollutant kills the marine life. When an organism accidentally intake a large
amount Strontium-90, this element will imitate calcium and will concentrate on bones. It is a
carcinogenic element that can cause different severe diseases. Its half-life is about 28.7 years, thus can
remain active on bones for many years. Many radioactive elements have a long radioactive decay
process or half-life thus will release dangerous radiation for a long period of time because it requires ten
half-lives to be completely eliminated.
High concentration of radionuclides in the soil can increase the possibility of affecting the plant and the
food chain of living organisms. Carbon dioxide emission is also a problem while running a nuclear power
plant. Though it was claimed that nuclear power plants are free from greenhouse gasses, the process of
running the plant activities using uranium as its fuel releases high amount of carbon. These emissions of
ozone destructive gases can contribute to the formation of ozone hole which can worsen the ozone
depletion and climate change.

Radioactive wastes can affect every aspect of life on earth. It should be seriously taken by everyone as
an action to solve right away. A deeper study is needed on how to make adequate proper radioactive
waste disposal is needed.