Waste management is recognised as an important link for public acceptance of
nuclear energy and its applications. Technical options and technologies are crucial
for safe management of radioactive waste. The principles used to select a particular
waste management option may vary with organisational preference, collected or
known experience, or following an optimisation procedure. In any case, because of
the costs involved, the potential complexity of technical and environmental considerations,
as well as the necessity to assure adequate performance, the selection
mechanism will always require clear criteria to address waste management needs.
Some criteria will be fairly general and applicable to almost any waste management
system. Others may apply to specific waste categories or to particular waste
management steps.
Materials generated by nuclear technologies (nuclear materials) may be reused/
recycled or become waste (Figure 11.1). The main routes envisaged for nuclear
materials, including radioactive wastes generated from them, are as follows:
a. Clearance from regulatory control. This assumes unrestricted disposal of waste and unrestricted
reuse of useful materials.
b. Authorised release. This assumes authorised discharge of waste to the environment and
authorised reuse of useful materials.
c. Regulated disposal of waste and regulated transfer of useful materials to other practices