MethodAdvantageDisadvantage Landfills: Waste is buried in the ground  rotting material produces methane gas which cold be collected  filled ground can be reused  low cost  can deal with large volumes  Methane gas could escape i.e. greenhouse gas  Pollution of ground water Incineration: burning of waste  Waste could be used as fuel  Requires little land  Reduces volume as most of waste is converted into gases  Adds to greenhouse effect as CO 2 produced  Can produce toxins such as dioxin  Requires energy as this need to be done at high temperatures to destroy most toxic substances

characteristicsshort half-life, low activity and high volume (approx 90%) sourcesmaterials such as gloves, coats, paper, tools, towels, syringes, injection needles which have become radioactive because they have been exposed to radiation in activities such as sterilizing equipment in hospitals, manufacture of smoke detectors, irradiating of food, radiotherapy, … storage/disposalDifferent methods:  stored on site e.g. in steel containers, until radioactive level is at safe level and then it is disposed off as normal waste buried in land fill sites  incinerated

characteristicsreleases some heat sourcesIt typically comprises resins, chemical sludges and reactor components, as well as contaminated materials from reactor decommissioning. storage/disposalwaste is first sealed in concrete and then in steel drums which are placed in concrete casks in concrete trenches. When a trench is completely filled it is covered with a concrete slab, a layer of compacted clay and a reinforced concrete intrusion shield and a final layer of clay.

characteristics  long half-life, high activity and low volume  very hot sources  used nuclear fuels from nuclear reactors,  waste products from processing used fuel  nuclear weapons storage/disposalis vitrified (made into glass) which is sealed in steel containers and then buried underground in granite rock or in deep mines; issues  may still leak into water table;  remains active for a very long time;  geological instability (e.g. earthquakes);  potential weapon for terrorists;