nuke question, page-9

Mr Steve

The reason they dont do that, nor even contemplate it at this time is economics. But even more fundamental is the potenial value of the so-called "waste".

Nuclear waste is referred to in the industry as "spent fuel". Most of it can be recycled/ reprocessed.

The French refer to the waste as a "strategic material".

One would need to be careful that we are not removing a potential resource for future generations by burying it so well it cannot be retreived. (or shoting it into space for that matter)

The next generation of fast reactors will produce a different level and degree of waste. Indeed many of the long lived tranuranic elements will be burned in the reactor itself with careful management of the final waste product requiring 100 years of stewrdship not 1000's or even 10'000's of years (and of course the deep greens say millions of years....which is a nonesense)

In terms of technology of dealing with waste we are at an early stage. The future options will only improve the situation!