A Review of Nuclear and Radioactive Waste Management with Reference to Africa

Abstract

This chapter highlights and defines the types of nuclear and radioactive waste generated based on internationally accepted standards and terminology. It discusses the few African countries, which produce nuclear and radioactive waste, and those that have the potential to produce nuclear and radioactive waste. Some of the most likely factors such as technical, economic, institutional, aesthetic and ethical affecting the handling, treatment, storing and disposal of these categories of waste are considered. A justification is argued for very minimal nuclear and radioactive waste production in the less developed countries compared to that of the more developed countries. Laws and legislation on nuclear and radioactive waste management are either lacking or not stringently applied in African countries. Mutinational corporations (MNCs) from the developed countries tend to exploit the economic situation of less developed countries in attempting to involve agencies, institutions and private companies in illegal trade of nuclear and radioactive waste. With increasing global demand for the use of nuclear energy (research, civil and military reactors), it is debatable if Africa will continue to remain a continent with the lowest level of nuclear and radioactive waste generation.