State the characteristics and sources of low-level nuclear waste.

The disposal of nuclear waste in the sea is now banned in many countries. Discuss one method of storing high-level nuclear waste and two problems associated with it.

low activity and short half-life;

materials (e.g. gloves, paper towels, clothes) that have been in proximity to radioactivity / any named source (such as smoke detectors);

methods:

vitrification / encasing in concrete / burying in deep places;

problems: [2 max]

may leak into water table;

remains active for a very long time;

geological instability (e.g. earthquakes);

potential weapon for terrorists;

Few candidates stated both low activity and a short half-life as characteristics of low-level nuclear waste, but many correctly identified sources.

Several candidates lost a mark for the storage of high-level nuclear waste by failing to specify deep burial of the waste. The discussion of problems associated with the storage was answered reasonably well.