Review of the research and developmental work and experiences on the bituminization of radioactive wastes in Japan

Efforts of development and improvement of the bituminization of radioactive wastes have been made by a few groups for the past ten and more years in Japan. A new approach to incorporation of radioactive sludges into emulsified asphalts by addition of a surfactant has been studied and the leachability of solidified products has been examined. Some developmental work of the bituminization of the evaporator concentrates expected from a reprocessing plant has been made and evaluation tests on the solidified products have been carried out. Incorporation into bitumen of the radioactive wastes arising at the JMTR has been practiced for three years