The French situation on long liked radioisotope separation studies (Puretex and Actinex program-s)

Even if the optimal choice of a disposal site and its installation may, by themselves, guarantee the reliability of long-term waste management, any reduction of long-lived elements could only improve the protection of man and the environment and consequently contribute to the enhancement of nuclear as far as the public is concerned. The first step before transmutation includes chemical separation. In France separation studies make up a part of the SPIN program (Separation - Transmutation) and especially of the ACTINEX program. Examining the noxiousness of wastes leads to favoring the separation of actinides if only the potential noxiousness of wastes is considered, i.e. that which considers radionuclides as being immediately ingestible, without taking either the quality packaging or the retention at the disposal site into account. On the other hand, if the activity at the outlet is considered, the effect of solubilities and the Rock/radionuclides interaction will limit the weight of these actinides, giving increased importance to the fission products such as iodine 129, technetium 99, selenium 79, cesium 135, etc. The ACTINEX program involves the separation of both actinides and fission products. However, owing to the French experience in nuclear fuel reprocessing and the knowledge acquired because of the need to separate certain actinides for the fabrication of sources (smoke detectors, californium reactor startup sources), the actinide separation program is the most advanced technique today. (author)