Vital Waste Graphics
40
41
Types of Radioactive Waste High-level waste includes the spent fuel from nuclear power generation, or the residual waste from repro- cessing the spent fuel. The military also produce high-level waste. Low and intermediate level waste includes items that have come into contact with some radiation. This may be at nuclear power plants, hos- pitals, dentists, research laboratories and other commercial operations. Both the volume and the level of radioactivity have to be considered – a large volume of waste with a low-level of radioactivity presents less danger than a smaller amount of waste with a high-level of radioactiv- ity. For example, spent fuel (elements that have been removed from a reac- tor after use) makes up less than 1% of the volume of radioactive waste, but contains almost 95% of the total radioactivity. (Office of Civilian Ra- dioactive Waste Management).
Volumes and radioactivity in United States
Annual world nuclear reactor construction
Number of plants
Level of radioactivity
0 10 20 30 40
In % Volumes
100
90
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
Source: WorldWatch
80
Tonnes of heavy metal
Spent fuel generation
70
2 500
United States
60
2 000
50
Canada
40
1 500
30
France
1 000
20
Germany
500
10
Sweden
0
0
Radioactive spent fuel Other radioactive waste
1982
1988
1992
1996
2000
Source: OECD
Existing radioactive waste disposal and proposed alternatives for storage
Proposed alternatives
Space Disposal
Atmosphere
Type of waste and proposed destination
Other Radioactive Waste
Airborne Discharges
Conditioned Solid Waste
Liquid Waste
Solid Waste
Polar Ice Sheets
Central Storage
Island Geologic Disposal
Sewage Systems Landfill Sites
Reprocessing
Atmosphere Sea Water
Rock Caverns at Intermediate Depth
Deep Repository
Discharges from Nuclear Power Plants
Under the ocean floor
Low and Intermediate Level Waste
Spent Nuclear Fuel
Deep-Well Injection Disposal
Very Deep-Hole Disposal
Nuclear Waste
Source: STUK & OCRWMb
Source of radioactivity 1. Produced during all phases of nuclear energy production (nuclear fuel cycle) 2. Defence activities 3. Hospitals, universities, and research laboratories 4. Industry 5. Mining and milling uranium ore
Made with FlippingBook