Finland to recycle nuclear plant waste into heat and electricity

Finnish energy companies Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO) and Rauman Biovoima Oy have launched a pioneering project to recycle maintenance waste from the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant into electricity and district heat. The waste, which includes items like overalls, gloves, and plastic coverings, is exempt from radiation control and deemed safe for people and the environment. Instead of being sent to landfills as before, this waste will be incinerated at Rauman Biovoima’s combined heat and power (CHP) plant in Rauma, which primarily uses wood-based fuels. The pilot batch, under ten cubic meters, is scheduled for transfer by the end of November and requires no special modifications at the CHP plant. This initiative marks Finland’s first effort to recycle nuclear plant maintenance waste for energy, aiming to reduce environmental impact, lower costs, and minimize land use associated with waste disposal. TVO estimates that Olkiluoto generates 30–80 cubic meters of such inc