Storage MOX: A Third Way for Plutonium Disposal?

J. Kang, F. N. von Hippel, A. Macfarlane, R. Nelson, "Storage MOX: A Third Way for Plutonium Disposal?," Science & Global Security, 10, no. 2, (2002): 85-101.
By 2010, the UK could have 110 tons of separated civilian plutonium and Russia up to 150 tons of excess weapons and civil plutonium. Neither country has enough LWR capacity for disposal in MOX fuel. Plutonium disposal via MOX fuel is also difficult for some other countries. Combined disposal with HLW may be infeasible after reprocessing ends because the reprocessing enterprises are under pressure to rapidly solidify their stocks of liquid HLW. In a third approach, low-cost MOX pins would be mixed directly with spent fuel in final-disposal casks. We have analyzed the economics and proliferation resistance of this "storage MOX" option and conclude that it should be considered seriously.

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