| Feature | Once-Through | Reprocessing |
|---|---|---|
| Uranium utilisation | ~0.5% of mined U | ~0.9% with U + Pu recycle |
| Volume of HLW | Entire fuel assembly | ~4% of fuel (FPs + actinides) |
| Proliferation risk | Pu locked in spent fuel | Separated Pu exists |
| Natural U requirement | Higher | ~40% lower (with U + Pu recycle) |
| Relative cost (INFCE study) | Baseline | ~10% more expensive |
| Waste radiotoxicity | Higher (actinides remain) | Lower (actinides partially removed) |
Lesson 5 ◆ 5.1 Alternative Back-End Strategies