Environmental Aspects of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle and High-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal

An assessment of the environmental effects of the nuclear fuel cycle industries is discussed, reactor waste inventory and standards are presented, and the alternatives for high-level radioactive waste disposal reviewed, with particular attention being given to disposal in deep geological formations on land. One of the major concerns regarding potential impacts of the nuclear fuel cycle industries is the lack of a definite and proven method of disposal of the high-level radioactive wastes from light water moderated reactors. The problem is expected to become more pressing as the nuclear power industry and the associated radioactive waste inventories grow in the strife to meet ever-increasing demands for energy. The current trend in waste management is towards reprocessing to recover unburned uranium and plutonium from spent reactor fuel and towards final disposal in deep geological formations (hard rock or salt) on land. Studies appear to support the viability of such a waste management and disposal concept for high-level radioactive wastes