WRATS 25/04/11

The UK has a unique problem with nuclear waste. As a pioneer in the nuclear sector in terms of the development of weaponry and of nuclear power a variety of equipment designs were used in the early days, along with unusual materials and much experimentation. The large majority of waste forms can be handled with conventional encapsulation, but a small proportion probably a single-figure percentage can’t. ’But that’s still a large volume and tonnage of waste.’ Known as WRATs (wastes requiring additional treatment) or orphan wastes, these materials are being studied for their suitability to encapsulation in polymer materials.

The Engineer 25th April 2011