USA has the largest amount of spent nuclear waste in the world and it does not have a single permanent nuclear waste storage site. It is quite shocking that thousands of tons of dangerous nuclear waste is put in temporary locations waiting to start a new disaster in the Fukushima pattern. Note the greatest danger and fallout from the recent nuclear disaster was due to spent nuclear rods . The first site that was being prepared in Yucata mountains is mired in controversy despite millions of dollars being spent.
Nuclear Recycling is the processing of the nuclear waste generated from the nuclear fuel cycle to extract useful elements like uranium and plutonium which can reused again in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle to generate electricity.About 97% of the used fuel can be recycled leaving only 3% as high-level waste. The recyclable portion is mostly uranium depleted to less than 1% U-235, with some plutonium, which is most valuable. Arising from a year’s operation of a typical l000 MWe nuclear reactor, about 230 kilograms of plutonium (1% of the spent fuel) is separated in reprocessing. This can be used in fresh mixed oxide (MOX) fuel (but not weapons, due its composition). MOX fuel fabrication occurs in Europe, with some 25 years of operating experience. The main plant is in France, and started up in 1995.Major commercial reprocessing plants are operating in France and UK, with capacity of almost 5000 tonnes of used fuel per year, – equivalent to at least one third of the world’s annual output. A total of some 90,000 tonnes of spent fuel has been reprocessed at these over 40 years.
Nuclear Waste is generally a variety of solids,liquids and gases which are produced during the generation of nuclear energy during fission,mining of uranium,nuclear research and weapons production. They are normally classified as low-level, medium-level or high-level wastes, according to the amount and types of radioactivity in them.Nuclear Waste is radioactive and that is the primary cause of the negative effects on human health and bodies.Note Radiation iin small amounts do not cause any lasting damage as humans are exposed to natural radiation from radioactive deposits occurring naturally beneath the earth.However large doses or prolonged exposure to moderate radiation can lead to permanent problems and even lead to death.Note Nuclear Storage Policies are a complete mess around the world with no permanent geological sites being approved.
Nuclear Waste is one of the most difficult waste products to transport and store because of its dangerous radioactive effects.Given the long life of some of the transuranic elements Nuclear Waste has to be stored in a safe manner for thousands of years which is a tough given that the chances of leakage become enormous in such a long time scale.Storing of Nuclear Waste has to be performed in a extremely complicated manner which is also enormously costly.Also there are problems of NIMBY with Nuclear Waste Storage as nearby residents don’t want such toxic waste stored anywhere close especially as it does not bring any economic or social benefits.Not there is no permanent storage site despite many decades of planning and billions of dollars being spent.While Japan and Europe reprocess the fuel in the hope that they will be used again that remains a dream with thousands of tons of HLW piling up.USA does not reprocess and also has more than 60,000 tons of nuclear waste waiting for a final home.Till then most of the spent nuclear fuel is being stored in spent fuel pools and dry casks making them vulnerable just like another Fukushima
Nuclear Waste has come under sharp focus after the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster in which Spend Fuel Rods were one of the biggest causes of the radioactive emission which has led to the Japanese Accident being labelled as INES Level 7 which is equal to the Chernobyl Accident.One of the biggest disadvantages associated with Nuclear Energy is the problem of Nuclear Waste which is generated after the Nuclear Fuel (Uranium) is processed.The transuranic elements which are produced have half lives of hundreds of years making it a difficult proposition to transport,handle and dispose them.A Number of Nuclear Plants have not factored in the high costs of Nuclear Waste Disposal making it another big issue in the problem of Nuclear Waste
Nuclear Waste is the biggest con of Nuclear Electricity after the potential risks of a plant meltdown.Note Nuclear Waste is an ongoing problem and it has not been resolved in the USA where a permanent facility at Yucca mountains has run into a massive controversy.The long life of High Level Nuclear Waste,its pernicious effects on human health and difficulty in handling and storing make it difficult problem.However Nuclear Electricity forms almost 15% of the global electricity production and the tons of Nuclear Waste have to be dealt with however problematic and dangerous it might be