One of the major problems of nuclear energy is the inability of scientists to discover a safe to dispose of the radioactive wastes which occur throughout the nuclear process. Many of wastes remain dangerously active for tens of thousands of years, while have a life span closer to a quarter of a million years. Various methods have been used to date, but all have revealed weaknesses, forcing scientists to continue their search The nuclear fuel rods are installed in the reactors, where they remain until the accumulation of wastes becomes such that the fuel is no longer usable. The "used" fuel is then sent to a processing plant, where the radioactive wastes are removed; the remaining uranium is sent to a hemical plant to start the fuel cycle over again. The radioactive wastes are sent to be stored or buried. The nature of these wastes together with their lengthy life span has made it extremely difficult for scientists to find a way of disposing of them safely and permanently The United States attempted to bury much of its radioactive waste material in containers made of steel covered in concrete and capable of holding a million gallons. For a long time it was believed that the nuclear waste problem had been solved, until some of these tanks leaked, allowing the radioactive wastes to seep into the environment. Canada presently stores its nuclear waste in underwater tanks, with the long-term effects largely unknown. However, plans are under consideration for above-ground storage of spent fuel from reactors. These plans include the building of three vast concrete containers, which would be two stories high and approximately the length and width of two football fields. Other suggestions include enclosing the waste in glass blocks and storing them in underground caverns, or placing hot containers in the Antarctic region, where they would melt the ice, thereby sinking down about a mile. This idea has since been abandoned because of the possible adverse effect on the ice sheets 英译汉 放射性废料 科学家尚未找到一种安全的途径来处置核反应过程产生的放射性废料。这已成为 核能利用的主要问题之一。许多核废料成千上万年都存在危险的放射性,有的活动周 期竟达二、三十万年。至今已采用过多种方法,但都有缺点。科学家不得不继续进行 研究 将核燃料棒装入反应堆,燃料用尽,核棒成废料。然后,用过的燃料棒运送至再 处理工厂去排除放射性废料。剩余下来的铀送到化工厂提炼再生燃料。放射性废料被 储存起来或埋葬。核废料的特性及其漫长的活动周期使科学家很难找到一种安全而持 久的处置方法。 美国试图将许多放射性废料装在钢制容器中埋葬,容器外包水泥,可容纳百万加 仑。此后很长一段时间里,人们以为核废料问题已被解决,直到后来部分容器渗漏 放射性物质外泄到周围环境。现在加拿大把核废料储存在水下的容器中,它的长期影 响尚未可知。不过,有人考虑计划在地面上存储反应堆用过的燃料。这些计划包括建 造三个巨大的水泥容器二层楼高,长宽约有两个足球场大。其他的建议还有:将 废料封入玻璃体内,再将玻璃体放入地下岩洞中;或将装有废料的热的容器放到南极 地区,使冰融化,以此将容器沉入约一英里。但是因为这样做对冰层可能有逆效应, 这一想法已作罢。One of the major problems of nuclear energy is the inability of scientists to discover a safe way to dispose of the radioactive wastes which occur throughout the nuclear process. Many of these wastes remain dangerously active for tens of thousands of years, while others have a life span closer to a quarter of a million years. Various methods have been used to date, but all have revealed weaknesses, forcing scientists to continue their search. The nuclear fuel rods are installed in the reactors, where they remain until the accumulation of wastes becomes such that the fuel is no longer usable. The “used” fuel is then sent to a reprocessing plant, where the radioactive wastes are removed; the remaining uranium is sent to a chemical plant to start the fuel cycle over again. The radioactive wastes are sent to be stored or buried. The nature of these wastes together with their lengthy life span has made it extremely difficult for scientists to find a way of disposing of them safely and permanently. The United States attempted to bury much of its radioactive waste material in containers made of steel covered in concrete and capable of holding a million gallons. For a long time it was believed that the nuclear waste problem had been solved, until some of these tanks leaked, allowing the radioactive wastes to seep into the environment. Canada presently stores its nuclear waste in underwater tanks, with the long-term effects largely unknown. However, plans are under consideration for above-ground storage of spent fuel from reactors. These plans include the building of three vast concrete containers, which would be two stories high and approximately the length and width of two football fields. Other suggestions include enclosing the waste in glass blocks and storing them in underground caverns, or placing hot containers in the Antarctic region, where they would melt the ice, thereby sinking down about a mile. This idea has since been abandoned because of the possible adverse effect on the ice sheets