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Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Solving the plutonium problem The UK spends more than £80 million every year storing plutoniumcontaminated nuclear waste safely. Researchers from the University of Sheffield, sponsored by EPSRC and Sellafield Ltd have developed a way to significantly reduce the volume of some higher activity wastes, which will reduce the cost of interim storage and final disposal. The current treatment method for non-compactable plutonium contaminated wastes involves cement encapsulation, a process which typically increases the overall volume.The research project found that mixing plutonium-contaminated waste with blast furnace slag and turning it into glass reduces its volume by 85-95 per cent. It also effectively locks in the radioactive plutonium, creating a stable end product. Lead researcher Professor Neil Hyatt said, “The overall volume of plutonium contaminated wastes from operations and decommissioning is enough to fill the clock tower of Big Ben seven times over. Our process would reduce this waste volume to fit neatly within just one.” Further information : www.sheffield.ac.uk/news/nr/nuclearresearch-sheffield-university-fukushima-1.324913
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Image credits:: Sellafield Ltd