Describe some of the safety precautions that are taken while transporting spent fuel rods and other nuclear waste, i. e. packaging requirements and environmental protection.

For transporting radioactive nuclear waste and spent fuel rods some specially designed containers are used which is several inches thick and made up of lead or non-radioactive uranium.  

These containers do not allow the radioactive gamma rays to be leak in the environment. The transport of radioactive materials is regulated by IAEA( International Atomic Energy Agency) in all over the world.

Right packaging is very essential in transporting radioactive waste which reduces the chances of leakage. The packaging can be divided into 5 categories excepted, industrial, type A, B, and C according to the radioactive material waste.

The radioactive waste is dumped deep into the earth and very far from residential place so that it does not harm humans. For example, the popular dumping site is the Nevada desert in U.S.A.

i don't know what the picture looks like but i can take a guess and say maybe basidiomycetes?