Asia and the Pacific Youth
Virtual Challenge 2024

Sustainable Radioactive Waste Management for the Aspirational Effort to Net Zero Emission by 2050

This challenge is open to university level students in a team of 2-4 students.

The primary objective of this challenge is for students to design and implement effective strategies for the management of radioactive waste within the Minecraft Education Platform. Students will consider innovative approaches to waste processing, disposal, and long-term monitoring, all while striving to minimize environmental impact and contribute to the overarching goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

Students will be tasked with creating a world utilizing nuclear power as the source of energy for electricity complete with a complex of radioactive waste management within the Minecraft Education Platform. They must address key radioactive waste management steps, including waste handling, transportation, processing, treatment, storage and final disposal, while adhering to strict safety regulations and environmental standards

1. Waste Classification: Students will classify different types of radioactive waste based on their levels of radioactivity, half-life, and potential hazards.
2. Storage Facilities: Participants will design and construct storage facilities capable of safely housing radioactive waste for short-term and long-term periods, considering factors such as containment, shielding, and monitoring systems.
3. Transportation Systems: Students will develop transportation networks to safely move radioactive waste from generation sites to storage or treatment facilities, ensuring minimal exposure to the environment and population centers.
4. Processing and Treatment Technologies: Participants will construct facilities for processing and treating waste, adopting technologies in the treatment for reducing the volume and hazard level of radioactive waste such as incineration, solidification, and compaction.
5. Disposal Facilities: Students will devise environmentally responsible disposal methods for radioactive waste, such as near surface repositories, deep geological repositories or other disposal options.
6. Radiation Safety Protocols: Participants will implement rigorous safety protocols to protect workers, the public, and the environment from radiation exposure throughout the waste management process.
7. Long-Term Monitoring: Students will establish plans for ongoing monitoring and surveillance of disposal sites to ensure the integrity of containment structures and the continued safety of surrounding ecosystems.

• What is Net Zero Emissions?
• What are the fundamental principles for sound management of radioactive waste?
• What is waste hierarchy in the context of radioactive waste management?
• How can RW technologies contribute to the SDGs?

This Challenge on sustainable radioactive waste management offers students a platform to explore the critical role of nuclear technology in addressing climate change and achieving global sustainability goals. Through this challenge, students will develop essential skills in environmental stewardship, risk management, and technological innovation while contributing to the aspirational effort of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.