PRESENTED BY ABIDULLAH MPHIL SCHOLAR

1. NUCLEAR WASTE MANAGEMENT
PRESENTED BY
ABIDULLAH
MPHIL SCHOLAR

2. OUTLINES
 NUCLEAR WASTES AND NUCLEAR WASTE MANAGEMENT
 OBJECTIVES
 FUNCTIONS
 PRINCIPLES
 BASIC STEPS
 NATIONAL POLICIES OF SOME COUNTRIES TOWARD
NUCLEAR WASTES

3. NUCLEAR WASTES
• Radioactive waste is any material that is either radioactive
itself or is contaminated by radioactivity such as uranium,
plutonium and spent nuclear fuel.
CATEGORIES OF NUCLEAR WASTES
• The term ‘radioactive waste’ covers a wide variety of
material, and they are categorized as,
• High-level waste (HLW)
• Intermediate-level waste (ILW)
• Low-level waste (LLW)
• Very low-level waste (VLLW)

4. NUCLEAR WASTE MANAGEMENT
The scientific rules and regulations applied to
handle the nuclear wastes coming from nuclear
power plants, industries etc are collectively
termed as nuclear waste management.
OBJECTIVES
The objective of radioactive waste management is
to control and account for radioactive waste to
protect human health and the environment now,
but also to make sure we do not leave
unnecessary burdens for future generations. The
preferred way to do this, where reasonably
practical, is to concentrate and contain the waste
and to isolate it from the environment. This
allows any releases to the environment to be
restricted and subject to regulatory control.

5. FUCNTIONS OF NUCLEAR WASTE MANAGEMENT
Function of the RWM is to "Dispose of Waste”
directing or controlling any physical activity,
operation, or process to accept title to and
physical possession of spent fuel and high-level
waste, and transporting these wastes to an
interim facility (if authorized) for storage and
the repository for permanent disposal.
Supporting the Dispose of Waste function are
three sub functions that the RWMS must
perform: Accept and Transport Waste, Store
Waste, and Isolate Waste.

6. PRINCIPLES OF RADIOACCTIVE WASTE
MANAGEMENT
• A strategy should be produced and implemented
for managing radioactive waste on a site.
• Where reasonably practicable, radioactive waste
generation should be prevented or minimized both
in terms of quantity and activity.
• The accumulation of radioactive waste on site
should be minimized.
• Radioactive waste should be stored using good
engineering practice and in a passively safe
condition.
• Radioactive waste should be processed into a
passively safe state as soon as is reasonably
practical.

7. BASIC STEPS IN NUCLEAR WASTE MANAGEMENT
Pretreatment
It is the initial step that occurs just after waste
generation. It may involve collection, segregation,
chemical adjustment and decontamination and may
also include a period of interim storage.
Treatment
Treatment involves changing the characteristics of the
waste by volume reduction, radionuclide removal or
change of composition. e.g. Nuclear Transmutation
(transmutation by fission)

8. BASIC STEPS CONT………
Conditioning
It involves transforming radioactive waste into a form that is
suitable for handling, transportation, storage and disposal.
This might involve immobilization of radioactive waste,
placing waste into containers or providing additional
packaging.
Storage
Storage of radioactive waste may take place at any stage in
the radioactive waste management process and aims to
isolate the radioactive waste, help to protect the
environment and make it easier to control its disposal.
Waste might be stored for many years before it undergoes
further processing and disposal. They are stored in wet
condition or dry conditions as shown in photos.

9. Wet storage Dry storage

10. BASIC STEPS CONT………
Retrieval
It involves recovering waste packages from storage either
for inspection, for disposal or for further storage in
new facilities.
Disposal
It occurs when packages of radioactive waste are
deposited in a disposal facility with no intention of
retrieval. Disposal may also include discharging
radioactive wastes such as liquid and gaseous effluent
into the environment and transfer of wastes from one
site to another.

11. BASIC STEPS CONT………
The following methods are used for the disposal of
nuclear wastes
• Immobilize waste in an insoluble matrix such as
borosilicate glass or synthetic rock (fuel pellets are
already a very stable ceramic: UO2).
• Seal it inside a corrosion resistant container, such as
stainless steel
• Locate it deep underground in a stable rock structure,
e.g yucca mountain
• Surround containers with an impermeable backfill
such as bentonite clay if the repository is wet

12. BASIC STEPS CONT………
Yucca Mountain
High-level Nuclear
Waste Repository

13. BASIC STEPS CONT………

14. he
NATIONAL POLICIES OF SOME COUNTRIES TOWARD NUCLEAR WASTES

16. THANKS