Reprocessing

BNFL

The reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel is a complex and environmentally dangerous practice of essentially recycling spent nuclear fuel (SNF) to make new nuclear fuel. Reprocessing is part of a process known as the closed nuclear fuel cycle―employed by Russia, the UK and France―whereby spent uranium fuel is separated into its still useful constituent elements, mainly uranium and plutonium. Yet the chemicals involved and the amount of other useless radioactive elements left over after reprocessing―as witness the 2005 leak at UK’s Thorp facility, and the overall radioactive contamination of the Mayak Chemical Combine region of Russia―present yet more storage, as well as proliferation problems. The United States quite reprocessing under the administration of President Jimmy Carter for just these reasons. But new talk in Washington suggests that US reprocessed may ramp up again.

ARTICLES
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whitehouse.gov

[ 09.06.2009 ]
Obama fully backs nuke fuel bank, Russia still a contender
US President Barack Obama has lifted all doubt that he plans to spear-head the creation of an international uranium fuel bank during speeches on a swing through the Middle East in an effort to limit individual nations’ ability to create nuclear weapons while at the same time obtain nuclear fuel for their atomic energy programmes.
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wikimedia commons

[ 10.03.2009 ]
International nuclear fuel bank reaches needed amount in contributions to move forward, Russia anxious to host it
A project to establish an international nuclear fuel bank reached a key milestone last week when it secured enough funding to move forward with the programme's creation, the International Atomic Energy Agency announced Friday.
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Anna Kireeva

[ 11.06.2008 ]
No more nuclear waste imports, nuke icebreakers to go to Rosatom, says Kiriyenko in surprise announcements
MURMANSK – Russia’s nuclear icebreaker fleet will be expanded, uranium tails will cease to be imported to Russia by 2009, and there is simply no way to make the reprocessing of nuclear fuel clean, according to Sergei Kiriyenko, head of the Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom.
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