What has “transmutation to do with the disposal of radioactive wastes?

Two schemes:

1. Spent and processed fuel in the EU: cumulative and change per annum from 145 reactors (127 GWe) currently (2001) in operation

Source: A European Roadmap for Developing Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS) for Nuclear Waste Incineration

What has “transmutation to do with the disposal of radioactive wastes?
Also, see the Figure below

2.  Components of an ATW System

Source: A Road map for Developing Accelerator Transmutation of Waste (ATW) Technology
A Report to Congress  DOE/RW-0519, Department of Energy, USA   

 Transmutation [1]  

Special interests  

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