6. Radioactive wastes from nuclear power plants

The production of radioactive wastes in nuclear power and the current concept of their disposal are explained. This is based on the so-called multibarrier principle using a system of several barriers each of which barring radioactive materials from penetrating the environment. The types are characterized of radioactive wastes produced by WWER nuclear power plants also used in the CSSR. It is revealed that each WWER-440 unit produces several hundred cubic meters of liquid radioactive concentrates annually containing several hundreds dozen of tons of non-active salts and radionuclides in the amount of an order of 1013 Bq. The volume of saturated ion exchangers is lower by about one order, their summation activity is similar or slightly higher. The activity of solid wastes is higher by several orders. Radioactive waste processing and disposal in the CSSR are then treated and very high-level wastes are discussed. The possibilities are briefly outlined of the solution of the nuclear power plant fuel cycle problems with respect to radioactive wastes in future. (Z.M.)