A review of the Nuclear Waste Disposal Problem

Dealing with the problems posed by nuclear waste management is a major issue confronting continued use of the nuclear fuel cycle. Large amounts of radioactive wastes have already been generated as a result of past nuclear reactor operations, but these wastes are being temporarily kept in aboveground storage facilities awaiting a government policy decision on final disposition. Although research on various technologies to dispose of radioactive wastes is given high priority, a commercial waste disposal facility is not expected to be in operation before 1985. The magnitude of the waste disposal problem and the waste management techniques themselves are directly affected by the nuclear fuel cycle used. Whether the once-through, lightwater reactor (LWR) cycle or the fast-breeder reactor (FBR) will be used in the future will determine the types of wastes to be disposed of and thus dictate the technology(ies) to be used to dispose of them. Even if no new reactors are built, nuclear wastes would continue to be generated for another 30 years by the reactors in operation today. Hence, there is no easy solution to the nuclear waste management problem.