China hits milestone in building Beishan laboratory for managing nuclear waste
Team finishes construction of steep spiral ramp leading to underground facility where nuclear waste will be secured for thousands of years
“Nuclear energy is a clean and efficient power source, with about 99 per cent of the radioactive waste it produces is classified as low- or intermediate-level, decaying to harmless levels over time,” Wang Ju, chief scientist at CNNC and the laboratory’s chief designer, said in a company report.
The best solution is to bury that high-level waste 500 to 1,000 metres (1,640 to 3,280 feet) underground, ensuring isolation. This is often called “the final link in the nuclear industry chain”.
“Every country has its own unique strategies for managing nuclear waste,” Wang said. “Through the Beishan platform, we will exchange knowledge – bringing in global best practices and sharing our own findings with the world.”