Radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel
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Thomas Nilsen/Bellona |
Wherever a nuclear installation operates, be it a nuclear power plant or a reactor aboard a submarine, there will always be radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel (SNF) to safely contain―for generations. At present, no country has come up with a way of safely storing its radioactive waste for longer than 50 years, meaning all current measures are temporary. SNF contains long-live isotopes such as plutonium, caesium, californium and other “hot” products from burning uranium fuel which are nearly impossible to dispose of long term safely without harm to humans and the environment. Other forms of radwaste, like liquid radioactive waste from submarines, parts of decommissioned reactors and Radioistotope Thermoelectric Generators are equally had to dispose of. Russia takes radwaste from other countries for a cost, but it can do little more than store it. The safest method for radwaste and SNF disposal is in underground geologic repositories, but even countries that are pursing such projects have overrun costs and discovered hazards along the way.
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(photo: DOD)
Murmansk region hosted several meetings on nuclear and radiation safety last week.
The Sevemash plant in Russia’s Northwest city of Severodvinsk has produced its first TUK-120 spent nuclear fuel (SNF) storage container in a project financed by the British government, the Barents Observer reported. Sevmash is located in the Arkhangelsk Region.
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