For a fusion torch the figures are around 5, 000 tonnes and 1, 000 tonnes respectively.

ECONOMIST: Nuclear waste

The idea of the fusion torch attracted a lot of attention, and won its inventors an award from America's Atomic Energy Commission.

ECONOMIST: Nuclear waste

According to Dr Eastlund, breaking nuclear waste up into its constituent elements using a fusion torch would have a number of advantages over the chemical approach.

ECONOMIST: Nuclear waste

Last year, following a request from the American Department of Energy, Dr Eastlund delivered a detailed proposal explaining how the fusion torch could help to dispose of this waste.

ECONOMIST: Nuclear waste

Backing the fusion-torch would be politically difficult, because it would be an admission that chemical reprocessing, the currently favoured approach, has its drawbacks.

ECONOMIST: Nuclear waste

First, fusion research failed to progress as quickly as expected, so there were no power stations producing streams of surplus plasma to fuel fusion-torch recyclers.

ECONOMIST: Nuclear waste