Varun PIn February 2010, a local scrap market in Delhi became the epicentre of nuclear radiation when a discarded medical device containing Cobalt-60 was released into the environment. One person lost his life, and many others were left injured.
The incident, though, was not caused by a nuclear power station; it led India to revise its regulations and improve its inspection and tracking processes related to radioactive discharges.
Among the most risky sources of radioactive discharges are nuclear energy facilities, such as nuclear power plants, research reactors, or other industrial processes involving radioactive materials.
Recently, as India achieved a key milestone in its energy transition journey by reaching 50% of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources, the share of nuclear energy stands at 1.8 per cent.
Though it is minuscule compared to solar and wind, at 38 per cent, the share of nuclear energy is expected to rise exponentially in the coming decades. The government is working to expand the availability of nuclear fuel through both increased domestic production and imports from multiple international sources.
This is primarily driven by technological interventions that have made nuclear energy significantly cleaner and safer than fossil fuels. It generates almost no greenhouse gas emissions during operations, making it a go-to eco-friendly option for clean energy transitions.
India’s Nuclear Plans
As part of India’s Net Zero emissions goals by 2070, an ambitious Nuclear Energy Mission was announced, targeting a total nuclear power capacity of 100 GW by 2047.
To achieve this, the government is facilitating greater participation from both public and private sectors, while also encouraging research and development in Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and other advanced nuclear technologies. The plan includes the deployment of reactors based on both existing and next-generation technologies currently under development.
At present, India operates 24 nuclear reactors with a combined capacity of 8.78 GW. An additional 13.6 GW—including the 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) is under various stages of construction and development. With the completion of these projects, India’s total installed nuclear capacity is projected to rise to 22,380 MW by 2031–32.
Plans also emphasise the development of Indigenous Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs), which align with India’s unique three-stage nuclear power program designed for optimal utilisation of its modest uranium and abundant thorium resources through a closed fuel cycle.
Additionally, the strategy includes the deployment of Bharat Small Reactors (BSR) for decarbonisation of hard-to-abate industries, development of Bharat Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), including indigenous SMRs of varying capacities, and Indian LWRs. Enhanced international cooperation is also envisioned, particularly concerning SMRs and fuel, alongside the export of reactors, services, and supplies.
Why Nuclear Waste Management is Important
While India’s advances in its nuclear energy ambitions to combat climate change are commendable, in certain quarters, it continues to be looked at with suspicion primarily because of the potential for catastrophic accidents and the challenges of managing long-lived radioactive waste.
Accidents like Chernobyl and Fukushima have shown that although rare, nuclear failures can lead to severe environmental contamination, mass evacuations, and long-term health effects.
As India significantly expands its nuclear energy capacity, concerns arise about the potential for increased management of nuclear waste, which is of two types.
- Low & Intermediate-Level Waste: These make up the bulk of nuclear waste by volume but are less radioactive and more manageable.
- High-Level Waste: This is far more hazardous, though smaller in volume, and requires secure, long-term management
Addressing these two types of nuclear waste is critically important because it contain radioactive materials that, if not properly managed, can pose serious risks to India’s congested cities and the environment due to their long-lived radioactivity.
Proper management ensures that these hazardous materials are safely treated, stored, and disposed of to prevent exposure or contamination. Nuclear waste management reduces the chance of radioactive substances escaping into the biosphere, thus protecting current and future generations.
Additionally, effective waste management minimises the risk of nuclear materials being diverted for malicious purposes, which is crucial for nonproliferation efforts. It also helps maintain public confidence in nuclear energy by ensuring environmental safety and regulatory compliance.
Safe disposal methods, such as geological repositories, have been scientifically proven to isolate waste effectively over the long timescales required, while continuous technological advances are improving treatment and containment.
Managing nuclear waste responsibly is essential to safeguard health, the environment, and security, while enabling the sustainable use of nuclear power.
How Does India Manage Nuclear Waste
India has implemented comprehensive safeguards and well-established procedures to ensure the safe storage, handling, and disposal of nuclear waste. Nuclear waste management practices are governed by stringent regulatory standards and are designed to protect operating staff, the general public, and the environment.
The nuclear waste handling, treatment, storage and disposal are carried out as per the well-laid-down procedures and guidelines stipulated by the AERB following the Atomic Energy (Safe Disposal of Radioactive Wastes) Rules, 1987 and the requirements of AERB Safety Code on ‘Management of Radioactive Waste (AERB/SC/RW)’.
Established in 1985, Mumbai-headquartered AERB is a regulatory body that ensures the use of ionising radiation and nuclear energy in India does not cause undue risk to health and the environment.
AERB keeps a close watch on nuclear waste in India, ensuring adherence to rules through periodic inspections. The handling and disposal area is kept under surveillance by the facility management. Environmental monitoring is carried out by Environmental Survey Laboratories (ESLs) of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, which operates under the Government’s Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).
These rules ensure that radioactive nuclear waste is systematically treated, conditioned, and monitored before its disposal at designated storage locations. This is a continuous process, and there is no backlog of conditioned waste awaiting disposal at interim storage facilities.
The low half-life solid waste from nuclear facilities is disposed of in specially constructed engineered structures at the Near Surface Disposal Facility within the facility. These disposal facilities are co-located near reactor/nuclear facilities to avoid transportation of radioactive waste through the public domain.
The low and intermediate-level wastes generated at nuclear power stations during their operation are treated, concentrated and subjected to volume reduction. The concentrates are immobilised in inert materials such as cement, bitumen, polymers, etc. and stored in specially constructed structures (Near Surface Disposal Facilities) located at the site under monitoring.
The treated liquids and gases are diluted and discharged under continuous monitoring, ensuring that the discharges are well within the stipulated limits set by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). The radioactivity level of the stored wastes reduces with time, and by the end of the plant’s life, it falls to very low levels.
The volume of low and intermediate-level wastes generated from operating nuclear power stations annually in the last 10 years was about 1.25 lakh cubic meters (m3) and 130 cubic meters (m3), respectively. The projections of waste generation for the future would depend on the actual capacity additions and technologies adopted.
During the recycling of spent nuclear fuel (SNF), a small amount of liquid radioactive waste is generated, which is classified as low, intermediate and high level as per the safety guidelines of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Safety Council (BSC).
The current strategy for their management involves intermediate-level waste treatment to convert it into low and high-level wastes, followed by the immobilisation of high-level waste into vitrified glass. The total volume of vitrified waste generated by processing one metric ton of Pressurised Heavy Water (PHWR) spent nuclear fuel is around 0.2 m3.
Wrapping Up
As a result of these checks and balances, there have been no incidents of radioactivity release from Nuclear Waste Management Facilities, nor any incidents or accidents at the waste management plants and interim storage facilities.
However, as the development of nuclear energy increases in India or elsewhere, there is a need for continuous caution even as safety technology advances and regulations strengthen.
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