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Re:China reaches energy milestone by "breeding" uranium from... by Loic on Sunday November 23, 2025 @05:20AM (#46022269)
Long life, high activity nuclear waste represents less than 3500m3 (one Olympic swimming pool), and this, since the start of civil nuclear electrical production in the 50's. World wide.
Re:China reaches energy milestone by "breeding" uranium from... by keepamovin on Sunday November 23, 2025 @05:29AM (#46022303)
Global waste is 400,000+ tons (https://www.stimson.org/2020/spent-nuclear-fuel-storage-and-...). Even 1 pool full is ~28,000 tons (UO2 package 8tons/m3). Urainium is dense.
Re:China reaches energy milestone by "breeding" uranium from... by glimshe on Sunday November 23, 2025 @07:51AM (#46023178)
20 swimming pools of total waste isn't that impressive. I don't want to live near that, but I'm sure I'd we can find a place to put that in that will have minimal impact on people's lives.
Re:China reaches energy milestone by "breeding" uranium from... by keepamovin on Sunday November 23, 2025 @07:59AM (#46023220)
Exactly. The waste isn't really a problem. But it doesn't have to be waste. That's the point. All that U235 in 'spent' silos? You can get 60x - 100x its OG power feeding it to nextgen reactors. So cool
Re:China reaches energy milestone by "breeding" uranium from... by cykros on Friday November 28, 2025 @07:33AM (#46078091)
Properly contained nuclear waste is almost as concerning to me as my wifi router is.
Re:China reaches energy milestone by "breeding" uranium from... by Loic on Sunday November 23, 2025 @06:03AM (#46022505)
I wrote about the high energy, long life waste. The part really causing issues.
Re:China reaches energy milestone by "breeding" uranium from... by keepamovin on Sunday November 23, 2025 @06:14AM (#46022584)
I guess you mean the "super hot for centuries" minor actinides (Np-237, Am-241/243, Cm-242/244/245 etc..)? These are less than 1% global waste, but next gen reactors can still eat them. The majority of waste (95%+) is U-235, then Pu, which nextgen also eats.