nuclear waste disposal

• Radioactive waste can damage cells 
• Sources:

  • Nuclear reactors 
  • Research labs 
  • Hospitals 
• Nuclear waste is encased in concrete and buried at depth. 
• High level waste:

  • Fuel rods 
  • Stored in water filled pools 
  • Transferred to Sellafield 
  • Each reactor only makes a small amount of waste 
• High level waste:

  • Layer of glass 
  • Layer of lead 
  • Then concrete 
  • Multiple layers increase protection 
• Permanent storage:

  • Long half lives 
  • Radioactive for 250,000 years 
  • Safe from natural hazards 
  • Geologically stable 
  • Non-contaminating for environment 
• Permanent storage:

  • Deep mines within impermeable rock 
  • Ice sheets - slow rate of movement 
  • Ocean floor - subduction zone 
• Sellafield:

  • Locals used to nuclear waste 
  • Volcanic rocks at depth 
  • No major earthquake 
  • But has old faults - leakage into Irish sea