Answers to questions about nuclear energy wastes - March 2022. Nuclear energy wastes - Fact sheet, October 2022

Like all industries, civil nuclear power generates wastes. Although very small in volume, these wastes are the subject of much public debate. Nuclear wastes are heterogeneous, their characteristics varying according to their respective period of radioactivity. The vast majority of nuclear wastes - nearly 97% - are low-level and non-hazardous. They represent only 0.2% of their total radioactivity. Wastes, whatever their type, are subject to rigorous management and treatment in compliance with strict rules laid down by specialized and dedicated authorities. Their specific management ensures the protection of the population and the environment. Wastes are stored in highly secure centers. Waste management is a major safety issue for the nuclear industry. The nuclear authorities (Andra, IRSN) have already ensured secure long-term storage of the least hazardous waste, ruling out any possibility of risk. The most radioactive wastes, with the longest period of activity (less than 3% of the accumulated total), represent more than 99% of radioactivity. They are the subject of cutting-edge research. The Cigeo deep disposal project will provide secure storage for several millennia, pending the development of ways to recycle waste for energy optimization. France's electronuclear industry is at the cutting edge of technology, with a mastery of waste treatment. Numerous treatment and recycling methods are currently in the research and development phase, with a high probability of success. In addition to being the most carbon-free form of energy, they would make nuclear power the cleanest source of energy in the world, and the safest for human health