Why recycle plutonium

Journal Article · Fri Mar 27 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.235.4796.1555· OSTI ID:6173086

Albright, D; Feiveson, H

The nuclear industries of Europe and Japan plan to use plutonium in commercial reactors. They will, by the end of the century, have separated and placed into commerce more than 300,000 kilograms of plutonium. This prospect derives from the decisions of several major countries, including France, Great Britain, the Federal Republic of Germany, Japan, Belgium, Switzerland, and Italy, to separate chemically the plutonium and uranium from the highly radioactive fission products contained in the spent fuel from their commercial reactors (a procedure called reprocessing) and to recycle this plutonium and uranium into reactor fuel for breeder reactors and light water reactors. Such recycling differs from the once-through fuel cycle in use today in that material usable in weapons is not isolated in the latter process.

• Research Organization: Federation of American Scientists, Washington, DC
• OSTI ID: 6173086
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Journal Name: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States) Vol. 235; ISSN SCIEA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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