Question

Give a reason for the following:

Radioactive waste is the most harmful waste.

Answer 1

Radioactive waste is more harmful than other wastes because it contains radioactive substances (alpha, beta and gamma emitters and long‑lived actinides) produced by nuclear reactors and weapons that remain hazardous for many years; even small amounts can cause mutations, cancer and long‑term environmental contamination, and they are difficult to decompose or remove from ecosystems.