Radioactive Waste

The regulations for transporting radioactive waste are stringent due to the possibility of a transportation accident. Various containers are used for transporting specific kinds of waste. High-level waste has the most rigorous standards, and the containers in which it is shipped must be capable of withstanding tremendous pressure, impact, and heat, and are waterproof. There have been accidents in North America involving trucks and trains carrying radioactive waste, but no significant amount of radioactivity has ever been released to the environment as a result.