What is the Uranium Fuel Cycle? Ofce of Radiation and Indoor Air (6608J) EPA 402-F-12-003 | September 2013
Milling of Reprocessing Uranium Ore Reprocessing is the initial Uranium is extracted separation of spent nuclear fuel Repository from ore with strong into its constituent parts. acids or bases. The Reprocessing is currently not uranium is concentrated taking place in the U.S. in a solid substance called “yellowcake.”
Chemical Conversion Plants convert the uranium in yellowcake Spent Nuclear Fuel to uranium hexafuoride Used or “spent” nuclear
(UF6), a compound fuel is stored in pools, or that can be made into in specially designed dry nuclear fuel. storage casks.
Generation of Electricity at Nuclear Enrichment Power Plants Processing facilities Electricity is generated by concentrate uranium235-- nuclear power plants with the form (isotope) that is reactors that use water for capable of undergoing a moderating nuclear reactions nuclear reaction. and cooling.
Fabrication of Fuel The enriched uranium is converted Dotted lines show EPAs’ “Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for processes that are into fuel pellets and placed into rods for use in nuclear power plants. Nuclear Power Operations” limit the radiation releases not currently taking and doses to the public from the normal operation of place in the U.S. uranium fuel facilities, including nuclear power plants. What is the Uranium Fuel Cycle?
Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for Nuclear Power Operations Federal Register Reference—42 FR The Uranium Fuel Cycle: EPA and Nuclear 2860, Vol. 42, No. 9, January 13, 1977 Environmental Power Operations For more information, visit our website at: www.epa.gov/radiation/laws/190 Considerations EPA’s mission is to protect human health and the environment. EPA sets limits on the amount of Air—Tiny amounts of radioactive elements, such as radiation that can be released into the environment. argon, krypton, xenon, iodine and tritium (a radioactive EPA does not regulate the daily operations of form of hydrogen) get into the air during the normal nuclear power plants or nuclear fuel facilities. operations of nuclear power plants. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Water—Wastewater discharges can contain tiny has regulatory responsibility for licensing and amounts of radioactive hydrogen (tritium) and other oversight of commercial nuclear power facilities, radioactive constituents. Facility wastewater permits and implements EPA’s environmental standards at set strict limits on how much radioactivity can be applicable facilities. discharged to water.
Radioactive Wastes—Wastes managed for their radioactive content.
Spent Nuclear Fuels—Fuel that has been withdrawn from a nuclear reactor following irradiation, the constituent elements of which have not been separated by reprocessing.