Vitrified waste safety

To ensure that the GDF is fit for purpose, we need to understand the long term effects of irradiation on materials as well as the interactions between the various components of a facility and the wastes. Radiochemical research will play an important role in helping us luiderstand these processes and will enable us to implement the best strategies for long term disposal. Studies on radionuclide release from spent fuel and vitrified wastes, the effects of complexants on radionuclide behaviour, the impact of microbes on the mobility of radionuclides and the behaviour of colloids (see Box 1) and non-aqueous phase liquids (see Box 2) - all of these pose questions that need to be answered as we develop the safety case for a geological disposal facility. 

Handling of Spent Nuclear Fuel and Final Storage of Vitrified High Level Waste," Technical Reports by the Swedish Nuclear Fuel Safety Project (KBS),1978. 

The Windscale Vitrification Plant vitrifies high level (highly active) liquid waste arising from reprocessing operations at Sellafield. The plant operates two identical vitrification lines with a current combined throughput of 350 product containers per year. A third line is currently under construction and will commence operation in the year 2000. The key safety function of the plant is to convert mobile material into a solid immobile form which can be more easily managed, stored, and transported. 

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