96 TRANSURANIC ELEMENTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT 



TABLE 3 Spent Fuel as a Primary Waste (TRU) 



*Weight is in metric tons heavy metal. 

 tContent 1.5 yr after removal from reactor. 



Nuclear-Power-Plant Wastes 



For this chapter the general wastes issuing from nuclear power plants are not considered 

 to be transuranic contaminated. However, for the once-through cycle, irradiated fuel 

 issuing from a nuclear power plant would be considered a transuranic (TRU) waste. The 

 characteristics of spent fuel as a waste are given in Table 3. For the purposes of the 

 generic treatment used here, a reference LWR fuel assembly has been defined as a 

 composite with properties characterized as between those of PWR and BWR fuel 

 assemblies. Each assembly weiglis about 430 kg (SOwt.v? core and 20 wt.% Zircaloy 

 cladding and stainless-steel hardware) and is slightly over 5 m long. 



After a period of storage in water basins, the spent fuel, if declared waste, will be 

 placed in a container, which will be subsequently filled with helium or a metal with high 

 thermal conductivity and sealed for ultimate disposal. 



Fuel Reprocessing Plant Wastes 



The fuel reprocessing plant TRU primary wastes are described in Tables 4 to 6. The 

 characteristics of each waste after treatment are also shown in the tables. 



The waste treatments shown in the tables are those defined as references for this 

 chapter. Other waste treatments could result not only in differing characteristics in the 

 treated wastes but also in differing amounts and types of secondary wastes. The effects of 

 secondary-waste management are included in the tables. The volumes of primary waste 

 shown have been increased appropriately to refiect the recycle of secondary wastes. 



