Let's use it. [U. S. policy on management of weapons plutonium]

Journal Article · · Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists; (United States)

OSTI ID:7110843

Carter, L J

This article addresses the question of how and under what international oversight weapons cores (plutonium [open quotes]pits[close quotes]) may be transformed from weapons parts into a proliferation-resistant form. The author supports a position that the U.S. policy that has served to keep reprocessed plutonium out of civilian nuclear fuel needs to be modified for the disposal of weapons plutonium. Technical, economic, and political considerations of weapons plutonium management are described. Two means of dealing with weapons plutonium, as proposed by the National Academy of Science's Committee on International Security and Arms Control are discussed: (1) making plutonium into mixed oxide reactor fuel or (2) vitrification of the plutonium along with high-level nuclear waste.

• OSTI ID: 7110843
• Journal Information: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists; (United States), Vol. 50:3; ISSN 0096-5243
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
PLUTONIUM
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
ARMS CONTROL
ECONOMIC IMPACT
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT
NUCLEAR FUELS
POLITICAL ASPECTS
REPROCESSING
US NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE
VITRIFICATION
ACTINIDES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FUELS
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
METALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
REACTOR MATERIALS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WEAPONS
052000* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Management
290600 - Energy Planning & Policy- Nuclear Energy
350000 - Arms Control- (1987-)