Editing Radioactive waste (section)

== Accidents ==
{{Main article|Nuclear and radiation accidents and incidents}}

A few incidents have occurred when radioactive material was disposed of improperly, shielding during transport was defective, or when it was simply abandoned or even stolen from a waste store.<ref>[http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Magazines/Bulletin/Bull413/article1.pdf Strengthening the safety of radiation sources & the security of radioactive materials: timely action], {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326181428/http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Magazines/Bulletin/Bull413/article1.pdf|date=2009-03-26}}, by Abel J. González, IAEA Bulletin, 41/3/1999.</ref> In the Soviet Union, waste stored in [[Lake Karachay]] was blown over the area during a [[dust storm]] after the lake had partly dried out.{{sfn|Hecker|2000|pages=39−40}} In Italy, several radioactive waste deposits let material flow into river water, thus contaminating water for domestic use.<ref>Report RAI.it, [http://www.report.rai.it/R2_popup_articolofoglia/0,7246,243^1080736,00.html L'Eredità], {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528130434/http://www.report.rai.it/R2_popup_articolofoglia/0,7246,243%5E1080736,00.html|date=2010-05-28}}, (in Italian), 2 November 2008.</ref> In France in the summer of 2008, numerous incidents happened:<ref>Reuters UK, [https://archive.today/20120716014429/http://uk.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUKL813938320080908 New incident at French nuclear plant]. Retrieved March 2009.</ref> in one, at the Areva plant in [[Tricastin Nuclear Power Plant|Tricastin]], it was reported that, during a draining operation, liquid containing untreated uranium overflowed out of a faulty tank and about 75&nbsp;kg of the radioactive material seeped into the ground and, from there, into two rivers nearby;<ref>{{cite news |date=25 July 2008 |title='It feels like a sci-fi film' – accidents tarnish nuclear dream |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2008/jul/25/nuclear.industry.france |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130902120429/http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2008/jul/25/nuclear.industry.france |archive-date=2 September 2013 |work=The Guardian |location=London, England}}</ref> in another case, over 100 staff were contaminated with low doses of radiation.<ref>Reuters UK, [http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKL2465085020080724 Too many French nuclear workers contaminated] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090402070111/http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKL2465085020080724 |date=2009-04-02 }}. Retrieved March 2009.</ref> There are ongoing concerns around the deterioration of the nuclear waste site on the [[Enewetak Atoll]] of the [[Marshall Islands]] and a potential radioactive spill.<ref>{{cite news |date=10 November 2019 |title=How the U.S. betrayed the Marshall Islands, kindling the next nuclear disaster |url=https://www.latimes.com/projects/marshall-islands-nuclear-testing-sea-level-rise/ |work=Los Angeles Times |language=en-us |publication-place=Los Angeles, California}}</ref>

Scavenging of abandoned radioactive material has been the cause of several other cases of [[Radioactive contamination|radiation exposure]], mostly in [[developing nation]]s, which may have less regulation of dangerous substances (and sometimes less general education about radioactivity and its hazards) and a market for scavenged goods and scrap metal. The scavengers and those who buy the material are almost always unaware that the material is radioactive and it is selected for its [[aesthetics]] or scrap value.<ref name="autogenerated1">International Atomic Energy Agency, [http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PubDetAR.asp?pubId=3684 ''The radiological accident in Goiânia''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120085823/http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PubDetAR.asp?pubId=3684 |date=2011-01-20 }}, 1988. Retrieved September 2007.</ref> Irresponsibility on the part of the radioactive material's owners, usually a hospital, university, or military, and the absence of regulation concerning radioactive waste, or a lack of enforcement of such regulations, have been significant factors in radiation exposures. For an example of an accident involving radioactive scrap originating from a hospital, see the [[Goiânia accident]].<ref name="autogenerated1" />

Transportation accidents involving spent nuclear fuel from power plants are unlikely to have serious consequences due to the strength of the [[spent nuclear fuel shipping cask]]s.<ref name="EPA Transport">{{cite web |date=30 November 2018 |title=Transportation of Radioactive Material |url=https://www.epa.gov/radtown/transportation-radioactive-material |access-date=26 October 2022 |website=United States Environmental Protection Agency}}</ref>

On 15 December 2011, top government spokesman Osamu Fujimura of the Japanese government admitted that nuclear substances were found in the waste of Japanese nuclear facilities. Although Japan did commit itself in 1977 to inspections in the safeguard agreement with the IAEA, the reports were kept secret for the inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency.{{Citation needed|date=August 2012}} Japan did start discussions with the IAEA about the large quantities of enriched uranium and plutonium that were discovered in nuclear waste cleared away by Japanese nuclear operators.{{Citation needed|date=August 2012}} At the press conference Fujimura said: "Based on investigations so far, most nuclear substances have been properly managed as waste, and from that perspective, there is no problem in safety management," but according to him, the matter was at that moment still being investigated.<ref>''The Mainichi Daily News'' (December 15, 2011), [http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20111215p2g00m0dm145000c.html Gov't admits nuclear substances found in waste, unreported to IAEA], {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111215185645/http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20111215p2g00m0dm145000c.html|date=2011-12-15}}.</ref>