Figure 8. Artist's conception of a continental shelf nuclear power plant. The location of such 

 plants may relieve the pressure of land use conflicts on the coast and better provide for cooling 

 and dispersal of waste heat (Westinghouse photo) 



the streams, and there is little economic incentive 

 to find alternative solutions. Burning wastes rather 

 than dumping them in a river does not solve the 

 pollution problem; it merely changes the nature of 

 the problem. 



Recommendations concerning problems such as 

 these lie beyond the authority of this Commission. 

 Even if we had so interpreted our mandate to 

 consider this class of problem, to study them with 

 the diligence they deserve would mean that we 

 would have done little else. We do, however, 

 concur with the National Academy of Sciences 

 and PSAC reports in the belief that any lasting 

 solution must consider waste management as a 

 total system. 



In many respects the conditions confronting 

 those who wish to establish a National waste 



management policy are similar to those that 

 created this Commission on Marine Sciences. 

 There is tremendous public interest; there is a 

 feeling of urgency; there is fragmented authority; 

 and there is a feeling that if this Nation wishes to 

 make the commitment, significant results can be 

 obtained. If technology is responsible for many of 

 our pollution problems today, technology can help 

 in solving those problems tomorrow if given the 

 opportunity and incentive to do so. The panel 

 believes that a total integrated approach to the 

 problems of waste management is necessary. Al- 

 though detailed recommendations on these 

 matters are beyond the scope of our activity, we 

 recommend that there be established a National 

 commission to study and deal with the total waste 

 management problem. 



IIM47 



