The diagram illustrates the process of managing high-level radioactive waste produced by a nuclear power plant.
Overall, the process is cyclical, beggining with generation of spent fuel and involving reprocessing, recycling of usable materials, and the final disposal remaining high-level radioactive waste. While some materials are reused, hazardous waste is ultimately transfered to high-level radioactive waste disposal site.
At the initial stage, nuclear power plant produces spent fuel. Subsequently, this nuclear fuel transported to a reprocessing plant, where recycling process begins. In this stage, valuable materials such as uranium and plutonium are reused. Simultaneously, reprocessing plant generates high-level radioactive waste.
Following this, the high-level radioactive waste is transferred to a waste storage center, which provides a reliable containment for a period of time. Ultimately, high-level radioactive waste is dispatched to a high-level radioactive waste disposal site.
