Management of TRU waste

TRU waste including transuranium elements is limited in its amount of generation and place of generation at present, accordingly it can be stored sufficiently safely for the time being, but hereafter, as a private reprocessing plant is operated, and plutonium fuel is utilized on full scale, the increase of the generation of TRU waste is expected, therefore, it is necessary to promote the countermeasures for its treatment and disposal. As for low level wastes, volume reduction treatment, solidification and stabilization are carried out, thereafter, the disposal in shallow underground is done. On the other hand, in the case of high level wastes, the policy of glass solidification and the disposal in deep underground was decided. However, it is difficult to clearly distinguish TRU waste into low level and high level wastes, and its method of treatment and disposal must be considered from the viewpoint of the optimization of cost-effectiveness. The treatment of TRU waste from fuel reprocessing plants and MOX fuel processing facilities, the disposal of TRU waste and its present state in USA, UK, France, West Germany, Switzerland and Belgium are described. (Kako, I.)