Nuclear Waste Cleanup: DOE Is Missing Opportunities to Apply Lessons from Other Countries That Could Reduce Risks and Costs | U.S. GAO
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GAO-26-108082
Published: Jul 29, 2026. Publicly Released: Jul 29, 2026.
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Fast Facts
Nuclear waste cleanup can be costly, risky, and time consuming. The Department of Energy's cleanup efforts in the U.S. will cost over $640 billion and take decades.
We looked at how several other countries have saved money, reduced risks, and accelerated cleanup efforts.
The UK focused its cleanup efforts based on the environmental and health risks the waste poses, saving over $2.6 billion. Canada prioritized cleanup activities at key waste sites, which will expedite completion at one site by 30 years.
But DOE hasn't fully collaborated with other countries to learn how their approaches could improve its own efforts. We recommended doing so.
This page was updated to correct the photo source line.
Nuclear Waste Cleanup Project in a Former Salt Mine in Germany
Inside an underground chamber with rock walls, a large industrial vehicle moves several yellow cylindrical drums that resemble barrels to a pit that is partially filled with other drums.
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Highlights
What GAO Found
Many countries are undertaking efforts to manage, treat, and dispose of nuclear waste. Several have taken actions that accelerated cleanup, reduced risks, and resulted in cost savings—lessons that could inform the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management (EM) efforts. For example:
The United Kingdom (UK) saved a total of at least £2 billion (equivalent to $2.6 billion as of March 2026) by implementing a risk-informed approach to managing its nuclear waste. This approach helped minimize how much waste would need disposal in a repository for waste low in radioactivity.
Canada has prioritized accelerating cleanup activities at key nuclear waste sites. As a result, it expects to complete cleanup activities at one of these key sites nearly 30 years ahead of schedule.
France and the UK have used test facilities that replicate operating facilities to address technical issues and train employees. These efforts have saved each country significant money and minimized disruptions to cleanup efforts.
Decommissioned Nuclear Boilers Diverted for Recycling Instead of Disposal in the United Kingdom’s National Low Level Waste Repository
EM engages with other countries about nuclear cleanup, but this engagement is limited and not done strategically to identify alternative approaches that could...