Radioactive waste geologic disposal

Key Laboratory of China National Nuclear Corporation on Higfi Level Radioactive Waste Geological Disposal,... 

The geologic aspects of waste disposal (24—26), proceedings of an annual conference on high level waste management (27), and one from an annual conference on all types of radioactive waste (28) are available. An alternative to burial is to store the spent fuel against a long-term future energy demand. Uranium and plutonium contained in the fuel would be readily extracted as needed. 

K. B. Krauskopf, Radioactive Waste Disposal and Geology, Chapman and Had, London and New York, 1988. 

Geologic Disposal of Radioactive Waste" OECD Nuclear Energy Agency Paris, 1982. 

The Clinton Administration believes that the overriding goal of the Federal Government s high-level radioactive waste management policy should be the establishment of a permanent geologic repository - essential not only for the disposal of commercial spent fuel, but also for... 

Radioactive wastes are usually stored in underground tanks or in temporary storage at reactor sites for recycling or disposal (Whicker and Schultz 1982a). For low-level wastes, containment and isolation are the preferred disposal options, including burial, hydraulic injection into deep geological strata, and ocean disposal (Table 32.10). Options for the disposal of high-level wastes include... 

Deep geological disposal is the most favored solution for the permanent disposal of nuclear wastes with long half-lives. Although the locations of the burial places are selected with outmost care to avoid migration of the wastes in nature over a very long period of time, no barrier can be safe forever, so, numerous studies are in progress to determine the main factors that could cause leaks of radioactive nuclides. Soluble compounds in ground water are likely to play a major role in the release of actinides. 

Fleer V. N. (1982). The dissolution kinetics of anorthite (CaAl2Si20g) and synthetic strontium feldspar (SrAl2Si20g) in aqueous solutions at temperatures below 100°C With applications to the geological disposal of radioactive nuclear wastes. Ph.D. diss., Pennsylvania State University University Park. 

Prospects for the disposal of the immobilized materials have been examined by several groups of experts around the world (14, 15, 16, 17, 18) and by a group headed by Dr. F.K. Hare, Director of the Institute of Environmental Studies, University of Toronto (19). An international consensus has emerged on the safety and suitability of disposing of immobilized radioactive waste by emplacement deep underground (300-1000 m) in a variety of geologic strata. 

Brederhoeft, J. D., England, A. W., Stewart, D. B., Trask N. J. Winograd, I. J. 1976. Geological disposal of high-level radioactive wastes -Earth-science perspectives. US. Geological Survey Circular, 779, 28 pp. 

Laverov, N. P., Omelianenko, B. I. Velichkin, V. I. 1994. Geological aspects of radioactive waste disposal. Geoecology, 6, 3-20 (in Russian). 

Wood, S. A., van Middlesworth, P., Gibson, P. Ricketts, A. 1997. The mobility of the REE, U, and Th in geological environments in Idaho and their relevance to radioactive waste disposal. Journal of Alloys Compounds, 249, 136-141. 

These review papers have included the circular by the U.S. Geological Survey, Circular 779, "Geologic Disposal of High-Level Radioactive Wastes - Earth-Science Perspectives" the review by the Ad-Hoc Committee of Earth Scientists for the EPA reviews by the Office of Science and Technology Policy and finally a review prepared by an Interagency Committee chaired by the Office of Science and Technology Policy whose paper was released for public comment on July 3, 1978. 

The objective of geologic isolation of radioactive wastes is to preclude their reaching the biosphere until after they have decayed to the extent that they no longer constitute a health hazard. Concern over radioactive wastes from military, industrial and research uses has elicited many lines of commentary and deep concern from many individuals. In California, the concern about waste disposal was the focal point in establishing a moratorium on the construction of new reactors until a satisfactory waste disposal technology could be demonstrated. 

Release rate data from actual radioactive waste forms is needed to evaluate the safety of emplacing nuclear wastes in geologic media. However, in addition to waste form development studies, such as the leach test just described, a comprehensive program was started to obtain release data from candidate waste forms for geologic disposal. 

Figure 16.11 Water dilution volume for radionuclides in PWR spent fuel. (From National Research Council, A Study of the Isolation System for Geologic Disposal of Radioactive Waste, NAS, Washington, 1983.)...

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