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Radioactive waste: the problem of plutonium
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|October 17, 1980
Summary
Recycling plutonium from spent nuclear fuel does not significantly lower radioactive waste
Area of Science:
- Nuclear Chemistry and Engineering
- Radioactive Waste Management
Background:
- Spent nuclear fuel contains plutonium, a fissile material.
- Plutonium recovery and recycling are proposed to manage nuclear waste.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of plutonium recovery and recycling on radioactive waste characteristics.
- To compare waste profiles from advanced fuel cycles with once-through cycles.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of waste streams.
- Assessment of total alpha-activity and fissile plutonium content.
Main Results:
- Plutonium recycling systems show no significant reduction in total alpha-activity in waste.
- The amount of fissile plutonium in waste remains comparable to once-through fuel cycles.
Conclusions:
- Advanced fuel cycles involving plutonium recovery and recycling do not substantially decrease radioactive waste burdens.
- Current strategies for plutonium management in spent fuel do not offer significant advantages over traditional once-through methods regarding waste activity and fissile content.