Disposal of radioactive wastes - an overview of the current technology and activities of the IAEA

Nuclear facilities generate various types of radioactive wastes which have to be safety managed. Waste management has traditionally been seen as a service, whilst the primary objective is to produce energy or medical, industrial and other applications of radionuclides. Until recently there has not been great technical or economic need for ultimate disposal and final conditioning of high-level radioactive waste and waste management has been the object of strongly increasing interest only during the last decade. This rapid growth of interest with consequent increase of invested resources has also been stimulated by other considerations than merely technical and economical ones. Currently most countries using nuclear power have major programmes for the development and implementation of systems, in particular for the long-term management and disposal of their radioactive wastes