A view of strategies for transmutation of actinides

Developments in the field of recycling and transmutation of actinides are discussed. Three general strategies are discriminated: (i) an evolutionary strategy based on gradual implementation of partitioning and transmutation techniques in the fuel cycle; (ii) a radical strategy based on implementation of partitioning and transmutation in the fuel cycle, once all steps of this technology are proven; (iii) plutonium incineration, based on the conversion, with existing reactor types, of separated plutonium into a spent fuel form that is suited for direct storage.