Waste Type

Definition

Low level waste

Contains enough radioactive material to require action for the protection of people, but not so much that it requires shielding during handling, storage or transportation.

Intermediate level waste, short-lived

Waste which requires shielding, but needs little or no provision for heat dissipation and contains low concentrations of long-lived radionuclides (less than 4000 Becquerel/gram of alpha-emitters). The radionuclides generally have a half-life of less than thirty years

Intermediate level waste, long-lived

Waste that requires shielding, but needs little or no provision for heat dissipation. The radionuclides generally have a half life of more than thirty years.

High level waste

Waste which contains large concentrations of both short- and long-lived radionuclides and is sufficiently radioactive to require both shielding and cooling. The waste generates more than 2 kilowatts of heat per cubic metre.