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What are Radioactive Wastes?

Storage pond at the United Kingdom's Sellafield site.
 

Radioactive waste disposal sight in Andrews, Texas. 

Low-Level storage pit at the Nevada National Security Site. 

Definition

Radioactive Wastes- Nuclear fuel that can no longer produce enough heat to be useful in a power plant butit still continues to emit radioactivity. (Friedland 2012)

Most radioactive wastes are produced as a result of making energy in nuclear power plants, like the fisson process. (Friedland 2012)

The disposal and storage of radioactive wastes are heavily regualted by the governement. The government does this in an effort to maintain human health and well being as well as protecting the environment. (The United States Nuclear Regulatory Comission 2000)

The disposal and storage of radioactive wastes are heavily regualted by the governement. The government does this in an effort to maintain human health and well being as well as protecting the environment. (The United States Nuclear Regulatory Comission 2000)

Since radioactive waste disposal & the nuclear industry are heavily regulated by the governement. There are many different government agencies that play a part in this process. Such as...

 

  • The Department of Energy (DOE)- is responsible for seeing that radioactive wastes do not cause nuclear weapons production. 

  • The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)- regulates commerical radioactive wastes. These wastes can vary from simply coming from the production of energy or from the non-military uses of nuclear material. 

  • The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)- is responsible for seeing that the producion and disposal of radioactive wastes does not harm or hurt the environment. 

  • The Department of Transportation(DOT)- sees to the safe transportataion of nuclear related materials. 

  • The Department of Health and Human Services- sees that human health is not jepordized in the quest for energy production of nuclear power. 

 

(The Nuclear Regulatory Commission 2000)

 

 

 

Radioactive wastes can be divided into three subcategories high-level waste, low-level waste, and uranium mine tailings. Please return to the header to learn more! 

 (Friedland 2012)

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