Nuclear energy production is increasing globally and this creates a need for solutions to manage waste that remains dangerous for thousands of years.
Nuclear power plants in the United States store spent fuel onsite. This waste consists mostly of uranium but contains fast-decaying radionuclides like cesium and strontium along with long-lived heavy elements such as plutonium.
The Trump administration plans to use small futuristic nuclear reactors for AI power while seeking locations for deep geological disposal of 100,000 tons of radioactive waste currently stored at plants across the U.S.
Nuclear energy is a dangerous distraction from fossil fuel reduction. The EU's greenhouse gas emissions stem primarily from energy consumption making it vital to stop burning fossil fuels to avert climate catastrophe.
The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant stores nuclear waste in an underground salt formation near Carlsbad, New Mexico.
A tunnel site for nuclear waste provides a secure location that allows for the potential recovery of spent fuel for use in future fast reactors.
