TOXIC WASTE LEVELS

Low Level waste: This category includes contaminated paper, rags, tools, clothingand filters. Some is created by hospitals and research units, but most comes fromnuclear reactors. This waste is hazardous for up to 30 years and requiresconfinement for up to 300 years.

Intermediate Level waste: requires shielding when handled and is typicallycomprised of resins, chemical sludges and metal fuel cladding as well ascontaminated materials from reactor decommissioning. The Federal Governmentmaintains that liquid and solid wastes from the production of isotopes from thenuclear reactor at Lucas Heights in Sydney are also intermediate level waste.

High Level waste: arises from the use of uranium fuel in a nuclear reactor. It ishighly radioactive. The high level waste accounts for over 95% of the totalradioactivity produced in the process of nuclear electricity generation. The other 5%is low and intermediate level waste. Both the intermediate level and high level wasteare serious radiation hazards for up to 10,000 years, and require isolation for up to250,000 years.