concept

radioactive waste

Also known as: radioactive waste, nuclear waste, nuclear waste materials, nuclear wastes, radioactive wastes

Facts (16)

Sources

Sustainable Energy Transition for Renewable and Low Carbon Grid ... frontiersin.org Frontiers Mar 23, 2022 4 facts

claimNuclear power plants produce radioactive wastes that may be buried underground, potentially contaminating underground water sources and rendering the land unusable for other economic activities, as noted by Rajput (2010).

claimBuried nuclear wastes have the potential to contaminate underground water sources.

claimPower plants contribute to water pollution through chemical contaminants such as acids from mining operations, coal ash discharge, radioactive wastes from nuclear power plants, and oil spills from diesel power plants (Raja et al., 2006; Rajput, 2010).

claimFast breeder reactors are capable of recycling nuclear waste, which reduces disposal challenges, though they have not yet been commercially deployed.

A Critical Disconnect: Relying on Nuclear Energy in ... energypolicy.columbia.edu Matt Bowen, Kat Guanio · Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy Jul 6, 2023 3 facts

procedureThe European Union taxonomy requires that for a new nuclear plant to be labeled 'green,' it must receive construction permit approval before 2045 and be located in a country with plans to dispose of radioactive waste by 2050.

claimThe nuclear industry's ability to build new reactors depends on keeping construction reasonably close to planned schedules and costs, and on governments making progress in the disposition of nuclear waste.

claimThe construction of new nuclear reactors is contingent upon the nuclear industry's ability to maintain construction schedules and costs, as well as government progress in the disposition of nuclear waste.

Clean Energy Solutions Must Include Nuclear | ClearPath clearpath.org ClearPath 3 facts

claimTechnical solutions exist for managing nuclear waste despite the lack of a permanent repository.

claimExpert studies have concluded that it is technically and scientifically feasible to manage and provide for the safe, permanent disposition of nuclear waste materials.

claimThe U.S. government has failed to develop a permanent repository for used nuclear fuel and other nuclear waste.

What Role Does Nuclear Energy Play in the Race to Net Zero? earth.org Earth.org Jul 19, 2023 2 facts

claimNew reprocessing and recycling technologies can dramatically reduce nuclear waste volumes and recover more energy from spent fuel.

claimSeveral countries currently implement deep geologic repositories to achieve safe long-term isolation of nuclear waste.

Nuclear Energy and Climate Change Mitigation everycrsreport.com Congressional Research Service Apr 1, 2025 2 facts

claimReprocessing spent nuclear fuel could reduce the need for mining, conversion, and enrichment stages of the nuclear fuel cycle and potentially reduce the hazardous life of radioactive waste.

claimCongressional concerns regarding nuclear power include reactor safety, radioactive waste, and weapons proliferation, which have been heightened by events such as the Fukushima disaster.

Congressional testimony of Bob Perciasepe on advanced nuclear ... c2es.org Bob Perciasepe · Center for Climate and Energy Solutions Jun 4, 2019 1 fact

claimFinding a long-term solution for nuclear waste storage remains a challenge for the nuclear power industry.

The Power of Change: Innovation for Development and Deployment ... nationalacademies.org National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 1 fact

claimSome advanced nuclear reactor designs are optimized to minimize waste production or to burn nuclear waste generated by other reactors.