Low Level Waste LLW
- Low level waste is any waste that could be from a high activity area.
- 90% volume of waste
- It does not necessarily carry any radioactivity.
- Split into four catagories: A, B, C, and GTCC.
Intermediate Level Waste ILW
- Intermediate level waste requires shielding when being handled.
- 7% volume of waste
- Dependent on the amount of activity it can be buried in shallow repositories.
- Not recognized in the United States.
High Level Waste HLW
- High level waste has a large amount of radioactive activity and is thermally hot.
- 3% volume of waste
- 95% of radioactivity
- Current levels of HLW are increasing about 12,000 metric tons per year.
- Most HLW consists of Pu-238, 239, 240, 241, 242, Np-237, U-236
Transuranic Waste TRUW
- Transuranic waste consists of all waste that has radionuclides above uranium.
- TRUWs typically have longer half-lives than other forms of waste.
- Typically a byproduct of weapons manufacturing.
- Only recognized in the United States.