Swiss technology could reduce radioactive waste by 80%

The highly toxic by-products of nuclear reactors can remain radioactive for tens of thousands of years.

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A groundbreaking technology that could drastically reduce the amount of radioactive waste produced by nuclear power plants has received Swiss backing.

The long-anticipated technology, developed by Geneva-based start-up Transmutex, could solve a dilemma that has long been cited by anti-nuclear movements as one of nuclear power's main drawbacks: While this form of power is emissions-free and a better alternative to highly polluting fossil fuels, making it the second-lowest-emission source of electricity after hydroelectric power, concerns have been raised about its feasibility because the spent fuel is highly radioactive. This hazardous waste contains highly toxic chemicals, such as plutonium and uranium pellets, that remain highly radioactive for hundreds of thousands of years, posing a threat to farmland, fisheries, freshwater sources and humans.

More on the topic: The nuclear waste disposal dilemma

After months of studying Transmutex's proposal, Nagra, the Swiss national agency that manages the disposal of radioactive waste, concluded that the technology, known as transmutation, could reduce waste by 80%. The process converts long-lived radioactive isotopes into short-lived or stable isotopes, lowering the waste's overall radioactivity and lifetime, minimizing environmental impact and the need for long-term management.

According to the startup's website, the technology can be used on 99 percent of the world's nuclear waste, reducing the duration of radioactivity from 500,000 years to “less than 500 years.”

Between 1954, when the first commercial nuclear power plants began operation, and 2016, approximately 390,000 tonnes of spent fuel accumulated. About two-thirds of this is currently stored, mainly at defunct nuclear power plants, with the rest being reprocessed. The largest amount of unprocessed nuclear waste on the planet is currently stored at Sellafield Nuclear Power Plant in the UK.

In the case of Chernobyl, the plant's reactors still contain vast amounts of waste that will remain dangerous for tens of thousands of years. In 2019, one of the reactors was finally encased under a giant reinforced concrete structure. But the $1.6 billion construction means it's only a temporary solution, able to safely store radioactive material for only a century or so.

“Proper management of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel supports the peaceful uses of nuclear technology in all its aspects, from low-carbon energy production to medicine and industry,” said Mikhail Chudakov, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of its Nuclear Energy Department.

An uncertain future

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), nuclear power accounts for about 10 percent of the world's electricity generation, rising to almost 20 percent in developed countries.

The energy crisis caused by the Ukraine war and the race to net zero have prompted many countries, including Belgium, Canada, China, Finland, France and Japan, to extend the life of existing nuclear power plants and build new ones, resulting in an increase of around 40% in new nuclear power plant capacity between 2021 and 2022.

Nevertheless, Nuclear power remains one of the most expensive and time-consuming forms of energy. Nuclear power plants are relatively Low operating costsThey can cost billions of dollars to build and take much longer than other renewable energy infrastructure, sometimes taking more than a decade.