Radioactive wastes at nuclear power stations arise from the fission reactions of the uranium fuel and associated neutron irradiation of reactor materials, coolant and fuel cladding.

2.6.1 Principles of waste management

The key principles of radioactive waste management

are:

• To minimise waste quantities by careful selection of reactor materials which have a low potential for radionuclide production upon neutron irradiation.

• To minimise waste arisings by appropriate selection of operating procedures at the power station.

• To dilute and disperse low level wastes to the en­vironment under controlled conditions.

• To accumulate wastes unsuitable for immediate dis­posal into the environment in order to take ad­vantage of radioactive decay and immobilisation/

packaging facilities.

2.6.2 Nuclear characteristics of waste

Nuclear reactors give rise to three principal types of radionuclides:

• Fission products.

• Activation products.

• Actinides.