Nuclear waste, also known as radioactive waste, is a byproduct of various nuclear activities, primarily nuclear power generation, nuclear weapons production, and certain medical and industrial applications that involve radioactive materials.

Nuclear waste consists of materials that emit radiation and can remain hazardous to human health and the environment for long periods of time.

Nuclear waste can be categorized into different classes based on its radioactivity and potential hazards:

Low-Level Waste (LLW): This category includes materials with relatively low levels of radioactivity, such as contaminated protective clothing, tools, and equipment from nuclear facilities. LLW is typically stored in specialized disposal sites.

Intermediate-Level Waste (ILW): ILW contains higher levels of radioactivity than LLW and may include materials like reactor components, ion exchange resins, and certain medical waste. It requires more robust containment and isolation measures.

High-Level Waste (HLW): HLW is the most radioactive and hazardous form of nuclear waste. It is primarily produced from nuclear reactors and includes spent nuclear fuel rods. HLW needs long-term management and disposal solutions due to its long-lived radioactivity.

Management and disposal of nuclear waste are complex and challenging issues due to the potential risks to human health and the environment.

The key approaches to handling nuclear waste include:

Storage: Both temporary and long-term storage options are used to manage nuclear waste.

Temporary storage involves on-site storage of waste at nuclear facilities, often in specially designed containers or pools.

Long-term storage involves moving waste to dedicated facilities where it is stored for extended periods.

Reprocessing: Reprocessing involves extracting valuable materials, such as plutonium and uranium, from spent nuclear fuel.

This can reduce the volume of high-level waste but is also controversial due to proliferation concerns and environmental impacts.

Deep Geological Disposal: This approach involves placing nuclear waste in deep underground repositories in geologically stable formations.

The goal is to isolate the waste from the biosphere for thousands of years.

Transmutation: Transmutation aims to convert long-lived radioactive isotopes into shorter-lived or stable isotopes through nuclear reactions.

While theoretically promising, this approach is still experimental and not yet widely implemented.

Regulations and International Collaboration: The management of nuclear waste is subject to strict regulations and international guidelines to ensure safety and prevent environmental contamination.

International collaboration is crucial to share knowledge and best practices.