Technologies for Minimization of Radioactive Waste During Operating and Decommissioning for Nuclear Facilities

It is inevitable to generate a diverse range of radioactive waste which has to be managed in a safe manner to be acceptable to the public and the environment during operating and decommissioning for nuclear facilities. The cost of waste management, the risks to the public and employees, and the detriment to the environment are dependent on the quantity and radioactive content of the waste generated. Waste minimization is a necessary activity needed to reduce the impact from nuclear fuel cycle operations and it is included in the national policy in many a country. The environmental benefits and the methods for the radioactive waste minimization were introduced, and the resultful techniques that had been developed in the world were mainly presented. What’s more, through summarizing the achievements and experiences of the radioactive waste minimization from U.S.A. and other developed countries, the paper puts forward how to bring about radioactive waste minimization in China.