What happens to the waste before being disposed of?
Most HLW and some ILW is extremely radioactive, and when it is removed from the nuclear power reactor where it is generated, is extremely hot (because of the high levels of radioactivity) and will remain so for many years. Such wastes are stored in cooling ponds until the excess heat and radioactivity has been dissipated. Once this has happened, the wastes go into surface storage until a satisfactory and permanent means of disposal can be found …
