> The U.S. produces as much as 160,000 cubic feet (4,530 cubic meters) of radioactive material from its nuclear power plants annually. [1]
> The Energy Department has a backlog of nuclear waste clean up responsibilities, with material dating back to World War II. [2]
[1] https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nuclear-waste-let... [2] https://federalnewsnetwork.com/agency-oversight/2022/05/ener...
> 160,000 cubic feet (4,530 cubic meters)
Much of which stops being radioactive in the first year,
> The Energy Department has a backlog of nuclear waste clean up responsibilities, with material dating back to World War II.
Which is to be expected given that a (tiny) part of the waste is long term.
The highly radioactive waste that lasts thousands of years is actually quite small.