Why is nuclear waste management important?

The radiation from radioactive waste can harm human, animal and plant health. It can damage the cells in our bodies which may cause cancer or defects which parents can pass on to their children. Radioactive material can be harmful if it gets inside the body. The right kind of shielding provides protection from direct exposure to radiation.

What are other countries doing?

All nations that have made a decision on what to do with their radioactive waste have selected deep geological disposal as their preferred option, but many are having trouble finding an acceptable place in which to implement it.

Some countries have agreed to a long period of storage while they investigate disposal more thoroughly, and others are continuing to research other methods.