Abstract: The release of radionuclides can impose potential hazardous to the health and safety of the public and quality of the natural environment including air, soil, and water. Therefore, development of safe methods for the proper disposal of high-level radioactive waste is of extreme importance and world concern. Recently, development of high efficient and environment friendly functional materials and their potential application in remediating soils and waters polluted by a variety of contaminants have received a considerable attention. With the development of environmental molecular science, the application of nanomaterials, which have been well known as the most promising material in the 21st century, in remediating polluted soil or water environment has gained even more attention in recent years. The unique characteristics of enhanced suface area and increased reaction activity of nanomaterials are expected to promote interface reactions. Such reactions include enhanced surface adsorption of heavy metal ions or radionuclides by nano adsorbents, strengthened oxidation-reduction reactions. Therefore, in this paper, recent research progress in the application of nanomaterials to the nuclear waste management at home and aboard is reviewed. The application of nanometals, nano-oxides, carbon nanomaterials or their composites, and other types of nanomaterials to nuclear waste management is outlined. Besides, some problems with respective to the application of nanomaterials in the nuclear waste management are briefed. The work thus provides important information for the future development of nanomaterials in the environmental remediation.