Nuclear technology has given us radio-chemotherapy, the PET scan, smoke detectors, methods for sterilizing food and mail, electricity, means of efficient space travel, and is even used to count reams of paper. However, it has also generously given us toxic radioactive waste that will remain dangerous for thousands of years.

Nuclear power plants are the main sources of nuclear waste. They generate twenty percent of U.S. electrical energy as well as 1300 metric tons of waste per year. (Spent Nuclear Fuel Data) Other sources of waste include hospitals, dismantled cold war weapons, and nuclear research.

Today 99.98% (Spent Nuclear Fuel Data ) of spent nuclear fuel is either stored in above ground casks made of concrete and lead or dumped in enormous artificial pools of water. (Transporting Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-level Radioactive Waste to a National Repository) The remaining 0.02% is transported to burial sites scattered throughout the US.

However...