Contents
Key Stage 4
Meaning
Nuclear waste is the radioactive material produced in nuclear reactions.
About Nuclear Waste
- Nuclear waste emits ionising radiation and can cause irradiation of tissue or can contaminate other materials.
- Nuclear waste is produced in nuclear fission reactors and must be disposed of safely to prevent contamination of the environment and irradiation of living organisms.
- There are three so called 'levels' of nuclear waste:
- Low Level Nuclear Waste - Waste with a long half life but a low level of radioactivity so does not require shielding or cooling.
- Intermediate Level Nuclear Waste - Waste with a long half life and a medium level of radioactivity so it requires shielding, but does not require cooling.
- High Level Nuclear Waste - Waste which extremely radioactive but will not remain so for more than a few decades due to a short half life. After around 50 years this becomes Intermediate Level Nuclear Waste. It requires shielding and cooling to prevent it heating up so much that melts or catches fire.
High level nuclear waste usually becomes intermediate level nuclear waste after around 50 years.