Civilian Nuclear Waste Disposal
Abstract
Management of civilian radioactive waste has posed difficult issues for Congress since the beginning of the nuclear power industry in the 1950s. Federal policy is based on the premise that nuclear waste can be disposed of safely, but proposed storage and disposal facilities have frequently been challenged on safety, health, and environmental grounds. Although civilian radioactive waste encompasses a wide range of materials, most of the current debate focuses on highly radioactive spent fuel from nuclear power plants. The United States currently has no permanent disposal facility for spent nuclear fuel or other highly radioactive waste.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 14, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1136675
Entities
People
- Mark Holt
Organizations
- Library of Congress