Discuss briefly the following:

Radioactive wastes

Radioactive wastes

Radioactive wastes are generated as a waste/side product in the utilisation of nuclear energy. The radiations given off by nuclear waste in extremely damaging to organisms due to its high rate of causing mutations.

In lower doses, it can cause mutations leading to severe cancers while in heavier doses, the exposure to such radiations is lethal.

Therefore, radioactive waste is considered a very potent pollutant. Its disposal has to be dealt with utmost care as lenient handling can be very harmful.

It is stored in suitably shielded container within the rock after extensive pre-treatments, buried about 500m deep into the ground.