{"id":19964,"date":"2015-12-15T19:41:09","date_gmt":"2015-12-15T14:11:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yaabot.com\/?p=19964"},"modified":"2024-01-19T19:46:01","modified_gmt":"2024-01-19T14:16:01","slug":"where-does-all-the-nuclear-waste-go","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entropymag.co\/where-does-all-the-nuclear-waste-go\/","title":{"rendered":"Where Does All The Nuclear Waste Go?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Since the start of the industrial revolution, our main source of energy has been fossil fuels \u2013 coal, petroleum, and natural gas. But with the rising issues that arose with their usage, the world has been shifting stance. Over 441 nuclear reactors are currently running in about 31 countries, and they account for 11% of the world\u2019s electricity production. Additionally, the management and disposal of nuclear waste have become significant concerns in the ongoing discourse surrounding global energy production and sustainability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nuclear power plants do\u00a0not release any direct harmful emissions. Yet –\u00a0they generate one of the most noxious form of waste that may require millions of years for degradation. Nuclear waste is simply the left-over mass of radioactive materials in a reactor where energy is extracted from nuclear fuels. They are often broadly classified into \u2018low level waste\u2019 and \u2018high level waste\u2019 based on their radioactivity level and longevity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
High level waste, which is\u00a0generated in a much lesser quantity is\u00a0our main concern as it\u00a0contains highly radioactive materials that decay with a high longevity – more than 10,000 years. It is estimated that around 20 metric tons of nuclear waste is produced in a year by a typical nuclear power plant. So, how are we dealing with all this\u00a0waste?<\/p>\n\n\n