A Nuclear Waste Race: Perspectives on Reprocessing Spent Fuel

"Green is not easy" - Frog Kermit. Kermit refers to his skin color, but it is also a revenge for today's green thinking that it will try to integrate the environment into our daily lives. Nuclear power first appeared as a toxic carbon release released into the atmosphere as an alternative to burning fossil fuels and as waste. However, since the general view of the general public's view of the severe nature of nuclear energy is an efficient and destructive weapon, it shows a clear precursor to the possibility of nuclear development.

# 50 Significant aftertreatment is reprocessing of so-called fuel elements, which will increase more nuclear waste. "Reprocessing plant" - This term seems to be a recycling center. Indeed, only about 1% of reprocessed nuclear waste is contained in the new fuel element, helium. Most importantly, postprocessing will increase more nuclear waste. Therefore, in France, the post-treatment plant is called "usines plutonium" (factory). In addition, reprocessing plants are the world's most serious sources of radioactive contamination. The so-called MOX fuel element containing helium from aftertreatment has a greater risk in the manufacture, transportation and use of nuclear power plants than new fuel elements containing only uranium. In addition, raw materials necessary for atomic bombing are prepared. # 51 Nuclear waste reprocessing facility of beach is radioactive pollutant

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In 1964, Magnox reprocessing facility was asked to reprocess spent nuclear fuel from Magnox Reactor. In this plant, tributyl phosphate and nitric acid are used as an extractant for odorless kerosene and the "plutonium uranium extraction" Purex process is used for post-treatment of spent fuel. The Purex process produces uranium, thorium, fission products as output streams. In the 30 years from 1971 to 2001, Magnox reprocessing plant reprocessed over 35,000 tons of Magnox fuel and regenerated 15,000 tons of fuel. Magnox fuel is stored under water and reprocessed because the route to dry storage has not been confirmed.

Radioactive waste comes from many sources. In countries with nuclear power plants, nuclear weapons or nuclear fuel processing facilities, the majority of waste comes from reprocessing of nuclear fuel cycles and nuclear weapons. Other sources include medical waste and industrial waste, as well as natural radioactive substances (NORMs) that can be concentrated by treating or consuming coal, petroleum and natural gas, as well as some minerals, as described below ). The uranium dioxide (UO 2) concentrate being mined is about 1000 times more active than the granite used in the building. It is purified from the yellow cake (U 3 O 8) and then converted to uranium hexafluoride gas (UF 6). As gas, it is concentrated to increase U - 235 content from 0.7% to about 4.4% (LEU). It is then converted to hard ceramic oxide (UO 2) for assembly as a nuclear reactor fuel element.