e) Environmental impact

i) environmental impact of nuclear waste

the waste produced from reactors is plutonium-239

plutonium-239 has a half-life of 24000 years, so it remains radioactive for a long time

during the disposal of plutonium-239…

• it is stored in containers of steel, lead, or concrete

• then buried very deep underground

disposal considerations

• burial locations must be

  • geologically stable

  • secure from attack

  • secure from potential leakages into food or water supplies