If the reactor reprocessed fuel, as does every other country who has nuclear power, there would be virtually no radio active waste. The aleged reason we do not reprocess is that the waste from the Uranium process is plutonium and could alegedly be stolen by terrorists to make boms. How this is an argument to leave it in pools outside Nuclear facilities I do not know it seems far wiser to process it until it is no longer a threatening material. My only guess is we intend to pack it into war heads should the need arrise.
Pretty irresponsible isn't it? But it maximized profits.