Managing radioactive waste: issues and misunderstandings

The issues of managing waste are common to all three categories: domestic, industrial and agricultural waste. Radioactive waste represents a minuscule proportion of Aall waste, is subject to rigorous regulatory controls, and has a limited life span. This is in contrast with, for example, toxic chemical waste which makes up a considerably higher proportion of all waste, is not subject to such rigorous regulatory controls, and has an indefinite life span. The demanding regulations governing radiation protection have a critical impact on the management of radioactive waste. It can contribute to a misunderstanding of the hazards, and of the technologies available. This paper seeks to present the facts and perspectives to clarify the radioactive waste issues and underline the fact that the strategies and technologies for handling radioactive waste exist. The issues are common with non-radioactive waste, which infact can pose a much greater risk to human health and the environment.