The Case Against Reprocessing

This chapter argues the case against reprocessing spent fuel. First, it addresses the arguments put forward by the proponents of reprocessing: that is, the resource justification (recovery of plutonium and uranium for reuse) and the benefits derived from a waste management technique. Second, it looks at the proliferation and terrorist risks associated with reprocessing which arise from the difficulties of applying effective safeguards and physical security measures to the weapons-usable plutonium that is recovered from spent fuel. These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.