The method is part of Veolia’s GreenUp strategy to help the nuclear industry reduce waste and salvage valuable materials.
Initial results: In an initial trial run, Veolia processed more than 12 tons of cables that were stripped of their contaminated plastic coating, which was cut and packaged into drums for high-temperature incineration. The resultant exposed cores were tested for radioactivity and found to be safe, producing four tons of copper for recycling, according to the company.
Veolia expects that recycling copper from decommissioning nuclear facilities could save around 85 percent of the emissions associated with large open-pit mining. It is estimated that standard thin-gauge to heavy-duty electrical cables will make up hundreds of tons of waste during planned nuclear decommissioning across various projects.
She said it: Nicola Henshaw, managing director of hazardous waste at Veolia UK, said, “As more end-of-life nuclear facilities are decommissioned, this new process represents a new way of capturing valuable resources from this industry. With pressure on the Earth’s copper reserves, more demand from industry, and the need to reduce carbon emissions, this latest innovation marks an advance toward a circular economy."
