What is radioactive waste? How can it be managed.

Explanation

Radioactive waste management involves the treatment, storage and disposal of liquid, airborne and solid effluents from the nuclear industry. Three ways are employed to manage nuclear wastes
(i) Spent Fuel Pools - The spent fuel discharged from the reactors is temporarily stored in the reactor pool. The Spent fuel rods are used in stored cooling ponds. They protect the surroundings from radiation and absorb the heat generated during radioactive decay.
(ii) Vitrification method - This prevents reaction or degradation of nuclear waste for extended periods of time and encased in dry cement caskets.
(iii) Geological Repositories - A deep geological repository is a nuclear waste repository excavated deep within a stable geologic environment. It is suited to provide a high level of long-term isolation and containment without future maintenance. In India at Tarapur and Kalpakkam, a wet storage facility of Spent Fuel is the main mode of storage.