audio: Thirty countries around the world currently operate over 430 nuclear reactors. Many of them are planning to expand their nuclear power programs, and some are already constructing new plants. In addition, over 60 countries have expressed an interest in introducing nuclear power to meet energy needs. But there is still no system in place for the permanent disposal of the spent nuclear fuel, which is generated by the nuclear power plants and is highly radioactive, remaining hazardous for up to 100,000 years. Two different management strategies are used for spent nuclear fuel. In some countries the fuel is reprocessed to extract usable material for new fuel -- a process that also produces high-level waste -- while in others the spent fuel is simply considered as a waste product. In all countries with nuclear power the spent fuel or the high-level waste from reprocessing is currently being stored, either in water pools or in vaults and casks at storage facilities. Although the current arrangements for storage are working satisfactorily, it is becoming increasingly important to find solutions for permanent disposal. One possible solution is to dispose of the high-level waste deep underground in a so-called "repository" where geological conditions are stable and the waste can be isolated from humans and the environment. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) deep disposal in stable geological formations is the only sustainable way to safely manage the high-level waste and eventually all countries with a nuclear power program will have to consider this option of disposal. Some countries, including Sweden, France and Finland, have decided to move forward with this option and have found a location for a future repository. In others, such as the UK, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, China and Japan, research is being carried out for deep geological disposal. Sweden recently announced that it has found a location for a repository for high-level waste. All going to plan, the disposal site could be operational by 2023. view more
Credit: Louise Potterton