What is nuclear waste?
Radioactive waste is the unwanted by-product from natural radioactive substances, made in nuclear research centers, and nuclear reactors. For example, uranium is used to create plutonium. The uranium is bombarded with neutrons in a nuclear reactor. That’s when it becomes complicated, essentially the neutrons cause nuclear reactions with produces plutonium, gamma rays and other elements and radiation. The left over matter that is not plutonium, or another useful material is nuclear waste. Depending on what is being made, how it’s made, and what it’s made from, there is different nuclear waste produced.
There are many other sources of radioactive waste: coal, natural gas, mineral processing, and medical waste. Even the nuclear waste can be from the creation of fuel or weapons.
