Some Remarks on Dispositioning Excess Fissile Material

Plutonium separation from residues and other low-equity forms as an option for dispositioning should be carefully evaluated against other options such as maintaining the plutonium in its current matrix and directly disposing of it in a geologic repository. In some cases, leaving the plutonium in an unseparated for can be beneficial and preferred to separations from a safeguards, operational and cast saving perspectives. This paper will discuss these options and provide reasons why processing for seperation may not always be a preferred option for final dispositioning.