What are the waste and by products from nuclear reactors?

Question

where are the contaminated waste disposed of ?

Answer 1

Try not to hold down enter so much next time you ask a question.

But anyway, nuclear waste from a power plant consists of fission fragments and transuranics.  Transuranics can be reused to provide more energy and also make up the long lived part of nuclear waste (therefore meaning that recycling the nuclear waste allows us to reduce the amount of time the waste remains dangerous).

We'll need new reactors (i.e. breeders) to be able to use up all of the binding energy stored in the Uranium that comes out of the ground since LWRs can only really use fuel that's been reprocessed once but that's an issue that'll be dealt with eventually.

Answer 2

Nobody talks of Tritiated water.

This is radioactive, and released into streams and rivers. Drinking water containing it will likely cause tumours as it is easily absorbed and stored in our cells. They have set themselves limits as a PPM - but not on the overall quantity. That is like a garage chain telling the govrnment it can pour as much oil as it likes down the drain - as long as they don't overstep their own limit of 30 cans a week.

Answer 3

Dunno dun talk big big big lah....Wong Kan Seng's your good for nothing Doggies again ah? hahahah feed so high yet nothing useful poo is out for us! hahahahah Singapore POO!

Answer 4

There are several waste streams involved with nuclear power.  The most obvious being spent fuel.  What can be recycled is, and the rest is stored until being shipped to authorized spent fuel storage.  Day to day and extended maintenance operations generate contaminated products (gaskets, valve packing, anti-contamination clothing, among others).  These items are surveyed for contamination levels and disposed of much like the fuel.  Radioactive contaminated water is typically reused where possible, after being processed to remove the contaminants.  This generates ion exchange resin waste that has to be disposed of periodically.

The public is protected from radioactive waste as much as possible.  And truthfully, other than the spent fuel and a few rare exceptions the levels of contamination are not all that high.  But proper disposition of waste keeps the industry and the nuclear Navy out of the news, and thus maintains the public perception (or lack thereof) of the industry at the status quo.

There are other hazardous wastes generated that are not exclusive to nuclear power.  Lead, acids, bases, other chemicals, asbestos, greases and oils are a few.  These are stored and disposed of in accordance with state and federal regulations.

In response to the tritium answer below:

Tritium is a beta emitter.  Outside of the body, it is harmless.  Inside it can cause cellular damage.  Tritium has a half life of 10 days, which means in 50 days it is effectively gone.  The amount of tritium released by nuclear reactors is very small.  The potential dose to a human is minisculed compared to the dose recieved from background radiation (from the earth) or from cosmic sources.  Tritium is pretty nasty in large quantities, but not much to worry about otherwise.

Answer 5

Spent Fuel is stored on site until it's shipped to a reprocessing plant. Contaminated waste is stored on site or in Federally approved storage facilities.

Answer 6

DOG's

Poo!

feed by taxpayer's money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

therefore = a clone FuzzyDude! haha