Book Description
Radioactive waste management is one of the key questions which havedominated debates on nuclear energy for over the decade.The evolution oflong-lived radioactive waste management programs from the conceptual to theoperational phase implies new communication challenges to keep the publicinformed of the scientific, technical, institutional, and economic progressmade in this area, both at the national and local level.This publicationreports on the proceedings of an international seminar organized by the OECDNuclear Energy Agency on information strategies and means of addressing publicconcerns on ethical, environmental and other issues arising from futuredevelopments in radioactive waste management.It includes the text of themain presentations and a summary of the conclusions of the seminar. ... Read more

Book Description
Most studies of environmental regimes focus on the use of power, the pursuit of rational self-interest, and the influence of scientific knowledge. Lasse Ringius focuses instead on the influence of public ideas and policy entrepreneurs. He shows how transnational coalitions of policy entrepreneurs can build environmental regimes and how global environmental nongovernmental organizations can act as catalysts for regime change.

This is the first book-length empirical study of the formation of the global ocean dumping regime in 1972 and its subsequent development, which culminated in the 1993 global ban on the dumping of low-level radioactive waste at sea. Ringius describes the structure within which global ocean dumping policy, particularly policy with regard to the disposal of radioactive waste, is embedded. He also examines the political construction of ocean dumping as a global environmental problem, the role of persuasion and communication in an international setting, and the formation of international public opinion. He does not argue that the influence of ideas alone explains how regimes develop, but claims that it is necessary to understand how actors, interests, and ideas together influence regimes and international environmental policy. ... Read more

Book Description
Many books have been written on hazardous waste and nuclear waste separately, but none have combined the two subjects into one single-volume resource. Hazardous and Radioactive Waste Treatment Technologies Handbook covers the technologies, characteristics, and regulation of both hazardous chemical wastes and radioactive wastes. It provides an overview of recent waste technologies.A reference for scientists and engineers, the handbook focuses on waste-related thermal and non-thermal technologies, separation techniques, and stabilization technologies. It includes information on the DOE and DOD waste matrix located at various sites. It reveals current R&D activities in each technology and what improvements can be made in the future. A detailed schematic diagram illustrates each technology so that the process can be explicitly understood. In addition, the handbook covers relative life-cycle cost estimates for treatment systems using various technologies.With contributions from an international panel and extensively peer-reviewed, Hazardous and Radioactive Waste Treatment Technologies Handbook provides the latest information on waste remediation technologies and related regulations. Often in the field you will encounter more than one type of hazardous waste. This handbook gives you the design information you need to decide which technology to use and how to design the equipment for your particular needs. You can then incorporate appropriate technologies into a mixed waste treatment system. ... Read more

Book Description
The disposal of radioactive waste is a central issue in the future of nuclear power and poses considerable technical, political and social issues. This book addresses these topics in an integrated fashion using performance assessment of the disposal concept as a unifying theme. Subjects addressed include: regulatory criteria; waste types, sources and characteristics; man-made or "engineered" barriers; the selection and evaluation of geological disposal media; the use of underground research laboratories; the movement of radionuclides in the biosphere; repository performance assessment tools and approaches; addressing uncertainty and spatial variability; assessing information from natural systems; and looking at radioactive waste in relation to other wastes. The book provides an up-to-date picture of radioactive waste disposal issues and will be of interest to scientists, engineers and consultants working in the nuclear industry and the environmental field. ... Read more

Book Description
Behind the Nuclear Curtain: Radioactive Waste Management in the Former Soviet Union tells the story of half a century of nuclear waste management activities and contamination incidents in the former Soviet Union (FSU).

This book tells the story of half a century of nuclear waste management activities and contamination incidents in the former Soviet Union (FSU).It paints a striking picture of the USSR and now FSU nuclear waste management activities, tracing the evolution of what is likely the world's largest nuclear waste management problem.The information in this book - taken from hundreds of literature sources, as well as from the author's first-hand knowledge of nuclear-waste-related events in Russia - represents the largest compilation ever on nuclear waste management practices, past and present in the former Soviet Union.

It covers uranium mining, milling, and enrichment, as well as reprocessing and disposal.In addition, separate chapters are devoted to naval waste management and contamination of oceans and seas, as well as the conditions in the FSU and the Baltic countries and the weapons test sites.Finally, separate chapters are devoted to Chornobyl and the three processing centers, Mayak, Tomsk, and Krasnoyarsk.

The appendices contain information on the operating and decommissioned reactors, as well as on comparative worldwide releases of radioactivity into the environment, nuclear accidents, and nuclear weapons tests.

Behind the Nuclear Curtain reveals some of the truths behind decades of nuclear neglect in that part of the world.Information from Russian scientists, along with illustrations, maps, and schematics of contamination sites, helps bring into focus a problem that has long been unknown, misunderstood, and under-estimated and is now emerging with long-term environmental restoration implications. ... Read more