Book Description

Nuclear waste is a by-product of the nuclear weapons programme, the nuclear electricity programme and, to a lesser extent, from the use of radioactive isotopes in medical and industrial processes. Using as a starting point the laws framed in the early years of the UK nuclear power programme to regulate the industry, this book compares approaches to nuclear waste management in a number of countries including the United States, France, Finland, and Korea. The book identifies the current treatment and proposed future of nuclear waste, looking at wider policies, stakeholder perceptions, international pressures and future energy scenarios. The key argument of the book is that, in the future, the regulation of nuclear waste must be treated as a primary objective of the law.