Radioactive Waste Management

The United States alone produces an average volume of commercial low-level radioactive waste of about 500,000 cubic feet each year. That is a lot of waste! This comes from a variety of places. Mainly though, it is produced by nuclear power plants. This waste brings up a problem though. It is difficult to dispose of radioactive materials for two reasons. One, some radioactive materials last for thousands of years. Two, most radioactive materials are hazardous and …

…and away from the general population. Also, the sites where it is safe for storage are filling up. At this point in time, the most adequate and logical type of radioactive waste management seems to be burying the material. Although right now it is difficult to see if this method the best available. Only future generations can tell. With further development of the space shuttle program perhaps the method of burying waste will become obsolete.