Besides Japan, These are the Countries Storing a Large Amount of Nuclear Waste

Japan has come under international scrutiny following its August 2023 release of nuclear waste into the ocean.

The discharged waste consisted of treated water used to cool the reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) owned by Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco).

Following the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, the Fukushima Daiichi NPP suffered damage. Since then, the nuclear reactors have been continuously cooled through constant water pumping.

This reactor coolant water became contaminated with radioactive substances and accumulated in Tepco's waste storage tanks. The total volume is now reported to have reached 1.3 million cubic meters.

According to Reuters, Tepco began releasing the nuclear wastewater into the ocean on Thursday, August 24, 2023, with an initial discharge of 7,800 cubic meters—approximately three times the volume of an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) states that the wastewater was treated using the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) before release, ensuring that its radioactive contamination meets safety standards for humans and the environment.

"IAEA experts are on the ground to act as the eyes of the international community, ensuring that Japan's discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is carried out as planned and consistent with IAEA safety standards," said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi in a press release on Thursday, August 24, 2023.

"With our presence, the IAEA contributes to building confidence that the process is being conducted in a safe and transparent manner," he added.

Besides Japan, other countries store nuclear waste with varying levels of radioactive contamination. However, there is currently no information regarding their disposal.

France, for example. The IAEA projects that by 2030, France will have a total of 476,700 cubic meters of nuclear waste, comprising:

* High-level waste: 5,700 cubic meters
* Intermediate-level waste: 161,000 cubic meters
* Low-level waste: 110,000 cubic meters
* Very low-level waste: 200,000 cubic meters

Germany, Lithuania, Sweden, Italy, Slovakia, Mexico, and Spain are also projected to accumulate nuclear waste, with volumes ranging from 10,000 to 170,000 cubic meters by 2030.

Details of the volume and contamination levels of waste from these countries can be seen in the graph above.

However, the IAEA has not yet calculated projections for waste from the world's largest nuclear energy producers, such as the United States, China, Russia, South Korea, and Canada.