Radioactive Waste

Nuclear science and technology is used to contribute to and meet development objectives including energy, human health, food production, water management and environmental protection. The ionizing radiations emitted from radioactive wastesRadioactive waste do not affect the senses, and radioactive materials could be discharged without the people being aware of any hazard. Radioactive wastesRadioactive waste generated during nuclear fuel cycleFuel cycle operation; production/application of radioisotope in medicine, agriculture, industry, and research; miningMining and processing of ores; combustion of fossil fuelsFuel; and production of natural gas and oil. From the late 1940s to early 1970s, radioactive wastesRadioactive waste were either dumped at sea or accumulated at nuclear sites. From the mid-1970s to the early 1990s, the international nuclear industry had a series of setbacks in terms of high expenses and technological problems. The safe and environmentally sound management of radioactive wastesRadioactive waste is the subject of Chapter 22 of Agenda 21 of Rio Summit 1992. Improper disposalDisposal of radioactive wasteRadioactive waste will affect humans and to the environmentEnvironment. This chapter deliberates on radioactive wasteRadioactive waste generation, classification, processing, storageStorage, and treatment of radioactive wasteRadioactive waste.