Nuclear plants produce waste while generating electricity, but it’s not glowing green goo like you see in the movies or The Simpsons.

What Is Nuclear Waste?

Nuclear waste is much different from what you might think.

When most people talk about nuclear waste, they’re referring to fuel that’s been used in a reactor once. Most of the radioactivity associated with nuclear power remains contained in the fuel in which it was produced. This is why used fuel is classified as high-level radioactive waste. Nuclear fuel is used to produce electricity for about five years. Then, it’s removed and safely stored until a permanent disposal site becomes available. Nuclear plants also produce low-level radioactive waste which is safely contained and stored and then routinely disposed of at various sites around the country.

Most of the radioactivity associated with nuclear power remains contained in the fuel in which it was produced. This is why used fuel is classified as high-level radioactive waste. Nuclear fuel is used to produce electricity for about five years. Then, it’s removed and safely stored until a permanent disposal site becomes available. Nuclear plants also produce low-level radioactive waste which is safely contained and stored and then routinely disposed of at various sites around the country. It is a solid. Nuclear fuel is solid when it goes in a reactor and solid when it comes out. It is arranged in fuel assemblies: sets of sealed metal tubes that hold ceramic uranium pellets. The radioactive byproducts of nuclear reactions remain inside the fuel. No green goo anywhere.

Nuclear fuel is solid when it goes in a reactor and solid when it comes out. It is arranged in fuel assemblies: sets of sealed metal tubes that hold ceramic uranium pellets. The radioactive byproducts of nuclear reactions remain inside the fuel. No green goo anywhere. There is not that much of it. All of the used fuel ever produced by the commercial nuclear industry since the late 1950s would cover a football field to a depth of less than 10 yards. That might seem like a lot, but coal plants generate that same amount of waste every hour.

All of the used fuel ever produced by the commercial nuclear industry since the late 1950s would cover a football field to a depth of less than 10 yards. That might seem like a lot, but coal plants generate that same amount of waste every hour. It can still be used for energy. Used fuel has only exhausted part of the potential energy in the uranium pellets after five years in a reactor. Some countries like France reprocess and recycle nuclear fuel, extracting elements still capable of generating energy for use in new fuel and encasing the radioactive byproducts in solid glass logs for permanent disposal. The United States currently does not, but some advanced reactor designs in development would be able to run on used fuel.

Is Nuclear Waste Handled Safely?

Once removed from a reactor, used fuel assemblies initially cool down in a storage pool. The concrete and steel pool and the water shield workers from radioactivity.

When cool enough that it no longer needs to be stored underwater—typically for 2 to 5 years after removal from the reactor—used fuel is transferred and stored in dry casks, which are large steel-reinforced concrete containers. These casks are designed for long term storage until a site is available for permanent disposal. They’re safe enough to walk up to and touch.

The U.S. nuclear energy industry has safely transported used fuel without any harmful release of radioactivity, injuries or environmental damage. In fact, after 7,000 shipments total of used fuel by the worldwide nuclear industry since 1970, there have been no leaks of radioactive material or personal injuries.

What Happens to Nuclear Waste?

The nuclear industry handles nuclear waste safely and in compliance with the stringent requirements of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.