Toxic and radioactive metals left over from the nuclear fuel cycle are of primary concern to the health of humans and the environment. Why? Because as the uranium from the reactor core 'burns', it decays to other elements, and leaving a pile of toxic material. Most of these remaining elements are still radioactive, and of particular concern are cesium (Cs) and strontium (Sr), which have the highest level of radioactivity in the waste.
Check out this HBO show by John Oliver, in a hilariously disturbing portrayal of America's nuclear waste problem, he accurately points out many issues that never seem to go away.
I am deeply concerned by the nation's nuclear waste problem, and I spent a great deal of my career finding ways to safely separate highly radioactive elements, and securely store them for as long as thousands of years.
A recent paper I published looks into how the mineral gaidonnayite (pronounced: gay-don-NAY-ite), a hydrated sodium zirconium silicate, is surprisingly good at absorbing those toxic metals.