• smegforbrains@lemmy.ml
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    7 months ago

    We currently have no real way to recycle spent fuel. Only a small percentage of nuclear waste can be recycled and it’s very expensive to do so, that’s why there are only two countries currently recycling fuel: France and Russia. Sellafield in the UK has been closed in the Fukushima aftermath. In France only 10% of nuclear fuel is recycled material using the purex process, which can also produce weapons-grade plutonium and therefore also raises different concerns.

    https://www.goodenergycollective.org/policy/faq-recycling-nuclear-waste

        • Tak@lemmy.ml
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          7 months ago

          These are literal nuclear weapons and waste from refining to make them. It literally sits in a parking lot in Tennessee

          • smegforbrains@lemmy.ml
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            7 months ago

            I don’t think that’s right. The page clearly states “Nuclear reprocessing is the chemical separation of fission products and actinides from spent nuclear fuel.”

            • Tak@lemmy.ml
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              7 months ago

              You’re still missing the point but I’m not going to try to convince you that plutonium isn’t a spent fuel if you believe that.

              • smegforbrains@lemmy.ml
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                7 months ago

                But yes please try to convince me and the readers. That’s how discussion work.

                “3% of the mass consists of fission products of 235U and 239Pu (also indirect products in the decay chain); these are considered radioactive waste or may be separated further for various industrial and medical uses.”

                Source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spent_nuclear_fuel