Historic series in annual spent fuel arisings (tonnes heavy metals)

The following table refers to nuclear waste: it presents annual spent fuel arisings in nuclear power plants of OECD countries. The data are expressed in tonnes of heavy metal, and include projections and estimates up to the year 2010. Spent fuel arisings are one part of the radioactive waste generated at various stages of the nuclear fuel cycle (uranium mining and milling, fuel enrichment, reactor operation, spent fuel reprocessing). Radioactive waste also arises from decontamination and decommissioning of nuclear facilities, and from other activities using isotopes, such as scientific research and medical activities. The impact of nuclear waste on humans and the environment depends on the level of radioactivity and on the conditions under which the waste is handled, treated, stored and disposed of. While reading this table it should be noted that these data do not represent all radioactive waste generated, and that amounts of spent fuel arisings depend on the share of nuclear electricity in the energy supply and on the nuclear plant technologies adopted.