Nuclear Waste

By Nicole Cepollina

WHAT IS NUCLEAR WASTE?

The radioactive waste

For example...

Nuclear BOMB production

Nuclear waste can be leveled

by the amount of radioactivity

the waste produces.

There are 3 main levels

-VERY LOW-LEVEL WASTE

-LOW AND INTERMEDIATE

LEVEL WASTE

-HIGH LEVEL WASTE

VERY LOW

LEVEL WASTE

Contains VERY LOW

concentration of radioactivity

and it Includes: -material used to handle the highly radioactive parts of nuclear reactors.

- waste from medical procedures involving radioactive treatments or x-rays.

includes paper towels, clothing and laboratoryequipment, which have been used in areas where radioactive materials areused.

It is comparatively easy to dispose of

The Origins: from the operation and decommissioning of nuclear facilities.

LOW AND INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

WASTE

contains concentrations or quantities of radionuclides .

Low and intermediate level waste is often separated into

short-live

&

l o n g – l i v e d

wastes.

HIGH LEVEL WASTE

contains heat-generating

radionuclides with long- and

short-lived radionuclide

concentrations.

NORM

contains low concentrations of naturally occurring radioactive materials.

ORIGINS

In South Africa radioactive waste is produced by the nuclear fuel cycle.