In a move for sustainable nuclear waste management, Finland will become the first country to bury spent nuclear energy rods underground for long-term storage.
Nuclear energy is a low-carbon energy source that harnesses the power within the atom. However, nuclear waste management is important because it is radioactive, which can pose safety and environmental risks. This type of waste can remain toxic for thousands of years. Therefore, careful waste treatment to protect people and the environment is very important.
Finland’s Onkalo project is a big step towards reducing waste. Onkalo, which means “cave” or “hollow” in Finnish, was built over the past two decades to become a sprawling underground warehouse that would serve as the world’s first permanent storage facility. for nuclear waste.
“The facility can hold a total of 5,500 tons of nuclear waste,” said Antti Joutsen, a geologist working on the project. “Therefore, Onkalo will receive all highly radioactive nuclear waste from Finland’s five nuclear plants throughout their lifetime.”
Onkalo’s importance extends far beyond Finland’s borders. The International Atomic Energy Agency describes this as a project that will change nuclear waste management. The Onkalo project puts Finland a decade ahead of other countries struggling to solve similar challenges.
At the heart of Onkalo is the KBS-3 design, the result of a joint development with the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company. This advanced approach uses a multi-barrier system, enclosing nuclear waste inside a copper box, covered with clay and buried deep within stable bedrock. By safely isolating nuclear waste from the environment, the project minimizes the risk of radiation exposure and environmental pollution. In addition, Onkalo is also proof that technology can help solve urgent environmental challenges. For example, a type of molecular crystal nicknamed “Octopus” and waste-eating bacteria offer potential solutions for collecting by-products from nuclear reactors, and even decomposing the waste, turning it into energy. nuclear becomes a more viable clean option.
As it progresses to the Onkalo operational stage, Finland will open a precedent for nuclear waste management on a global scale.
