There are three types of radioactive waste categorised by their radioactivity: low, intermediate and high-level radioactive waste.
Of the radioactive waste produced in a nuclear power plant:
Australia has managed radioactive waste safely for decades. Low level radioactive waste is stored in more than 100 locations across Australia in government owned facilities such as ANSTO Lucas Heights in Sydney as well as privately owned facilities such as Tellus Sandy Ridge in WA.
In addition, Australia manages the intermediate-level radioactive waste from the reprocessing of the used fuel used at Lucas Heights.
When most people think radioactive waste, they're thinking about used nuclear fuel. Typically, uranium nuclear fuel is fabricated into solid grey pellets which are held in large fuel assemblies that are used in the nuclear reactor. After 1-3 years they're typically replaced with new fuel assemblies.
When the fuel assemblies are removed from the reactor they are still solid, still grey but are highly radioactive. Initially, they are placed in water ponds adjacent to the reactor for cooling and then can be sent to deep geological repositories, placed in dry cask storage or recycled.
Used nuclear fuel can be recycled. After use in a reactor, the fuel retains approximately 90% of its potential energy enabling future use after reprocessing. This is how the used fuel from France's nuclear power plants and Australia’s research reactor is managed.
In fact, 10% of France’s power comes from used nuclear fuel materials.
Compared to other energy sources, the volume of waste created from nuclear power is significantly lower. For example, all of the high level waste (used fuel) ever created could easily fit inside a stadium such as the MCG.
All energy sources create hazardous waste from fossil fuels which release toxic pollutants into the air, solar panels and wind turbines.
