Safe management of the UK separated plutonium inventory: a challenge of materials degradation
Neil C. Hyatt
Abstract
The UK holds the largest inventory, worldwide, of separated plutonium under civil safeguards. Here, the importance of materials degradation in managing this inventory to a safe and secure end point is reviewed, together with recent developments, in the context of storage, reuse and immobilisation and disposal.
Topics & Concepts
PlutoniumReuseContext (archaeology)Waste managementInventory managementDegradation (telecommunications)Environmental scienceBusinessEnvironmental planningOperations managementEngineeringRadiochemistryChemistryGeographyTelecommunicationsArchaeologyNuclear materials and radiation effectsNuclear Materials and PropertiesRadioactive element chemistry and processing