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> Less than 1% is radioactive for 10,000 years. This portion can be easily isolated and shielded

How would this work? My assumption was that the pellets are fairly homogeneous. Does the decay happen faster in exterior of the pellet? Or is there some process to concentrate the radiation?

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The pellets are homogeneous. The reprocessing of fuel involves melting or dissolving them and chemically separating out the waste products, with the remaining unused fuel going back into new pellets.

The waste products are spread throughout the fuel pellets evenly, so the pellets have to be deconstructed to remove them.

I am wondering the same question. I suppose if the decay is totally random throughout any given volume of uranium, then separating it out would have to be chemical or electromagnetic or something?

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