Aggressive plutonium disposal R&D urged

Abstract

The U.S. should aggressively and simultaneously pursue two approaches dispose of excess nuclear weapons plutonium—and try persuade Russia do the same—urges a report by a National Academy of Sciences panel. One option is combine the plutonium with uranium oxides form mixed oxide (MOX) fuel and burn the fuel in nuclear reactors. The other approach is vitrify the plutonium by mixing it with high-level radioactive waste and borosilicate glass and form the mixture into massive logs. The spent fuel and logs would eventually be stored in a geologic repository. Both options should be developed in tandem to increase the chance that at least one will be operational shortly after the turn of the century, says panel chairman John P. Holdren, professor of energy at the University of California, Berkeley. Time is of the essence in reducing the security risks posed by this material, he stresses, with only 4 ...