What is reprocessing?
Reprocessing is the process of transforming spent nuclear fuel into a usable by-product and reducing its overall toxicity. It is considered by many to be a viable option in reducing the amount of waste generated by a nuclear power plant. The United States does not commercially use this method, but other countries including France, Britain, and Japan do. During reprocessing, plutonium and uranium are separated from the waste. The plutonium can be used as fuel for a nuclear reactor. The uranium, which is the uranium-238 isotope, can be combined with new fuel or can be used to weaken the concentration of uranium-235 in recycled uranium from nuclear weapons. Details of the pros and cons of reprocessing can be found here.
