Optimizing decommissioning and waste management

The past 50 years have seen many changes in the nuclear industry. This paper looks back, first to the early years, followed by the birth of the civil nuclear programme and international enterprises, and then moves on to discuss reactor development. Finally, the paper outlines the past problems of waste disposal, including the political influences of the 1970s and 1980s, and the dilemmas facing future nuclear waste disposal.