What is nuclear waste and what are the challenges of handling it? | Explained

Context: Recently India loaded the core of its prototype fast breeder reactor vessel.

Nuclear waste:

• Generated during fission reactions in reactors when certain atoms absorb neutrons and produce radioactive elements that cannot undergo further fission.

Challenges in handling nuclear waste

• High temperature and radioactivity of nuclear waste require underwater storage initially and later transfer to dry casks.
• Long-term storage of nuclear waste can span millennia, necessitating isolation from human contact.
• Treating and storing liquid waste to prevent environmental contamination.
• Concerns with reprocessing of nuclear waste– it separates fissile from non-fissile materials in spent fuel but also yields weapons-usable plutonium.
• Other Issues with nuclear waste management include containment failures, maintenance challenges, and uncertainties in treatment processes.
• Waste management adds to the cost of nuclear power generation.

Nuclear waste management in India

• India has reprocessing facilities in Trombay, Tarapur, and Kalpakkam.
• India carry on-site management of low and intermediate-level waste generated at nuclear power stations.

Source: The Hindu