Nuclear incineration, a process in which the radioactive waste products from the operation of nuclear reactors are transmuted to stable or short lived products, offers a method of reducing the long term hazards of nuclear waste. The topic was studied in some detail in the 1970s, when it was concluded that the benefits were marginal because the hazards from geological disposal were considered to be small. However, there has been a recent resurgence of interest. A historical review of the process is given, though no attempt is made to consider all the work that has been performed. The basis on which the initial conclusions were drawn is explained, the present status of the technique is described, and conclusions are drawn. Background information needed to understand the process is also presented.
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