Nuclear Waste Hazard Reduction

Abstract

This chapter reviews the history of nuclear fuel reprocessing. The implementation of President Carter’s International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Evaluation (INFCE) Program hinders the sound fostering of nuclear fuel cycle technologies in the USA and scattered their nuclear engineers to other fields of industries. They once wanted to contribute to developing the “Atoms for Peace Policy.” The statement by President Carter changed the nuclear fuel policy as if direct disposal of spent nuclear fuels was quite normal and nuclear fuel reprocessing exceptional. Although the purpose of INFCE is to stop the proliferation of atomic bombs, we experienced and witnessed the proliferation of atomic bombs, despite the banning of nuclear fuel recycling policy for civil purposes. This chapter focuses on “Atoms for Peace” and gives the future perspectives of the nuclear power system at a glance at global ecology. The unnecessary fear of radiation and radioactive substances through the mushroom cloud over Nagasaki and Hiroshima will be discussed as societally important aspects for our future.