Includes bibliographical references and index.

Machine generated contents note: Preface; Acknowledgements; List of units; List of abbreviations; Part I. The Problem: 1. The awakening; 2. Brainstorming; 3. The ocean as a dumping ground; 4. Radioactivity and atomic energy; 5. The Cold War legacy; 6. The peaceful atom and its wastes; 7. Recycling; 8. Dry cask storage; 9. Interim storage; 10. A can of worms; 11. WIPP; Part II. The Mountain: 12. The search for a geologic repository; 13. Nevada wins the lottery; 14. The Nevada test site; 15. Yucca mountain; 16. How long is long?; 17. Leaving almost no stone unturned; 18. Surprise; 19. Shake and bake; 20. The project gets into hot water; Part III. No Solution in Sight: 21. A new president, new policies; 22. Nuclear waste and our energy future; Appendix: discussion questions; References; Index.

"Today, the issue of waste management is as prominent as reactor safety in the controversies surrounding nuclear power and is particularly topical in the US since the 2010 closure of the Yucca Mountain repository project. William and Rosemarie Alley provide an engaging and authoritative account of the controversies and possibilities surrounding disposal of nuclear waste in the US, with reference also to other countries around the world. The book tells the full history from the beginnings after World War II up to today, bringing to life the pioneering science, the political wrangling and media drama, and the not-in-my-backyard communities fighting to put waste elsewhere. Written in down-to-earth language, by an expert with key involvement in the Yucca Mountain project, this is a timely book for public interest groups, affected communities, policymakers, environmentalists and research scientists working in related fields and anyone interested in finding out more about this important issue"--

"When the nuclear energy industry was launched in the 1950s, Robert Oppenheimer dismissed the waste problem as "unimportant." Over a half-century later, the waste issue is as prominent as reactor safety in the international controversies surrounding nuclear power. It is particularly topical in the US since the 2010 closure of the Yucca Mountain repository project. With no long-term plan in sight, high-level radioactive waste remains scattered across 121 sites in 39 States. William and Rosemarie Alley provide an engaging and authoritative account of the controversies and possibilities surrounding disposal of nuclear waste in the US, with reference also to the difficulties and progress of other countries around the world. The book tells the full history from the early days after World War II up to the present time, with an insightful perspective drawn from William Alley's expertise in the field, including leading the USGS survey of Yucca Mountain. Stories of key players bring to life the pioneering science, the political wrangling and media drama, and the not-in-my-backyard communities fighting to put the waste somewhere else. "--