Nuclear reactors in power stations use fissile radioactive isotopes to produce heat, which powers turbines to generate electricity. When the nuclear fuel is depleted and can no longer sustain significant fission, it becomes waste, though it remains highly radioactive. The disposal of spent nuclear fuel is a critical concern for all nations utilizing nuclear power. The standard method involves sealing the waste in large, airtight casks and burying them underground. Notable disposal sites include one in New Mexico, USA, and another in the Bartensleben rock salt mine in Morsleben, Germany. There have also been attempts to bury nuclear waste on the seabed.
The nuclear flask train collision test at Old Dalby Station in 1984. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
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