About
Low-Level Waste (LLW) is a term used to describe nuclear waste that does not fit into the categorical definitions for high-level waste (HLW), spent nuclear fuel (SNF), transuranic waste (TRU), or certain byproduct materials known as 11e wastes, such as uranium mill tailings. In essence, it is a definition by exclusion, and LLW is that category of radioactive wastes that do not fit into the other categories. If LLW is mixed with hazardous wastes, then it has a special status as Mixed Low-Level Waste (MLLW) and must satisfy treatment, storage, and disposal regulations both as LLW and as hazardous waste. While the bulk of LLW is not highly radioactive, the definition of LLW does not include references to its activity, and some LLW may be quite radioactive, as in the case of radioactive sources used in industry and medicine.
The definition of low level waste is set by the nuclear regulators of individual countries, though the IAEA provides recommendations. Some countries, such as France, specify categories for long-lived low (and intermediate) level waste
Sustainablity
The Earth is a unique and beautiful island. But like all islands, resources are limited. Humans must learn to use what the planet gives us in ways that do not inhibit future generations.
Principles of Sustainability:
- Anticipating and preventing problems before they arise is better than trying to react and fix them after they occur;
- Accounting in businesses and governments must reflect all long-term environmental and economic costs, not just those of the current market;
- The best decisions are based on accurate information, All aspects of a dessicion must be considered before taking action;
- We must live off the interest our environment provides and not destroy its capital base; and
- We must respect nature and the rights of future generations.
These objectives can and must be achieved. We live in a unique time in history; we have the technologies to make the world better for ourselves and future generations while maintaining the ecosystems that sustain us.