Waste management

Radioactive waste is a by-product of nuclear power generation or nuclear technology, such as research and medicine. These materials are dangerous to the environment, and there are many regulations about their safe transportation, handling and processing. Radioactive waste can occur in different physical and chemical forms and the concentration of radionuclides depends on the applied technology. Radioactive waste can originate from the nuclear fuel cycle (uranium production, enrichment, fuel fabrication and reprocessing). Other sources include medical (diagnostics, therapy) and industrial wastes, as well as naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) that can be concentrated as a result of the processing or consumption of coal, oil and gas, and some minerals. Nuclear weapon testing and demonstration also result in radioactive waste.

This site provides a basic understanding about radioactive waste categories. Language: English.

G+Web page with videos for different lesson plans, including information about waste disposal methods of nuclear waste (Chapter 5). An account is needed (30-days free, 59.99 $/month) Language: English.

This link from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission provides explanation, infographics and a video about radioactive waste. Language: English.

PDF from the IAEA about specific requirements for the disposal of the radioactive waste. Language: English.

Video from the IAEA about radioactive waste. Language: English.

Resources for teachers, classified by the level for which they are designed and by categories, including the nuclear waste issue (nuclear safety category). It is about PDF documents and some of them include game or debate proposals.  Language: English.

Part of these videos deal with the radioactive contamination, and some questions in the quiz included in this web page are related to this issue. Language: English and Dutch.

Web page of the World Nuclear Association with some information and explanations. Here is and specific section dedicated to radwastes : « What are nuclear wastes and how are they managed? ». Language: English.

Brief article about how to transport nuclear waste. Language: English.

Recommended PDF document with a section dedicated to nuclear waste (page 10).  Language: English.

Material (videos, brochures, etc.) for pupils and teachers about radioactive waste. Language: Dutch and French (videos also in English).