BARC setting up new facility for separation of spent fuel

As part of efforts to better manage nuclear waste, the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre is setting up a new facility in its Tarapur plant for separation of spent fuel.

"A plant is coming up in Tarapur (Maharashtra)... Probably, in next one year it will be operational, where we will be separating (short lifed isotopes from the long lifed ones). This is a separation process," BARC Director Sekhar Basu told reporters here yesterday.

Basu, who has recently assumed charge of BARC, said India was one step ahead of most of the countries in the world in terms of waste management. Explaining the process of reprocessing, he said in the spent fuel only 2-3 per cent was nuclear waste and a part of which could be again reprocessed and separated.

Replying to a question, Basu said he was open for transfer of technologies developed by BARC in fields like agriculture to any state government, private parties or progressive farmers.

BARC has recently developed over 15 varieties of groundnut seeds, which would have better yield. It had also successfully developed a system for treating sewage. Asked whether BARC would be ready to transfer such technologies to Tamil Nadu, he said, "We are open for anyone who is interested."

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