Outlook for Nuclear Power Presentations at the Technical Session of the Annual Meeting--November 1, 1979, Washington, D.C. (1980) / Chapter Skim
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Nuclear Waste Management
Nuclear Waste Management
Pages 51-66
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From page 51... ...
However, no previous set of technical solutions have met with such formidable resistance and have been attacked through the use of such pervasive uncertainties as that which surround commercial nuclear power and the associated radioactive waste. This paper addresses relevant issues concerning radioactive waste management as follows: (a)
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From page 52... ...
Wastes result predominantly from spent fuel reprocessing, the fabrication of plutonium to produce nuclear weapons, and plutonium fuel fabrication for recycle to nuclear reactors. TRU wastes are currently defined as material containing more than l0 nanocuries of transuranic activity per gram of material.
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From page 53... ...
He announced indefinite deferral of commercial fuel reprocessing, redirected breeder R&D into alternative nonbreeding fuel cycles, proposed the cancellation of the breeder demonstration plant, and placed the breeder program on hold. In addition, the R&D program included two major studies -- NASAP (Nonproliferation Alternative Systems Assessment Program)
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From page 54... ...
Figure l illustrates possible waste sources and the general case for light water reactors. Two variations of the spent fuel cycle must be considered: deferred isolation of spent fuel in near-surface engineered facilities until disposal or reprocessing is permitted, and uranium reprocessing and recycling only with plutonium oxide stored at engineered surface facilities, or with plutonium remaining in solidified waste.
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From page 55... ...
.10 For each waste type, the waste management system involves: waste generation, waste modification/solidification, packaging, onsite interim storage, possible transport to a central site and interim storage, transport to isolation site, and final isolation/disposal. Advanced high-level radioactive waste management programs may involve a wide variety of alternatives.
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From page 56... ...
have been considered in development of environmental impact statements for spent fuel: strategy #l, LWR once-through fuel cycle; and strategy #2, LWR with full reutilization of plutonium as a fuel. The volume of wastes from strategy #2 is about twice that from strategy #l, but the aggregate fissile plutonium content in strategy #2 is reduced about 50-fold as compared to strategy #l.
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From page 57... ...
Several options are being investigated for encapsulating the spent fuel. Some options include: utilization of a metal matrix fill, sandfill, glassy or ceramic materials, and multiple-barrier encapsulation of the spent fuel and canister at the time it is declared a waste.
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From page 58... ...
Environmental Considerations Environmental assessment generally follows the pathway of investigating potential effects associated with construction of waste management facilities, operation of the facilities, postulated accidents, transportation of wastes, and decommissioning of facilities and equipment. A generic environmental impact statement might include: accident analysis,
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From page 59... ...
until the present.6'7 TABLE 2 Classification of Issues Risk of Radioactivity Release Effect of Radioactivity on the Biosphere Methods of Possible Radioactivity Escape Operational Period Flooding Vent to Air Waste/Rock Interaction Corrosion Brine Behavior Post-Operational Period Thermal Period Thermally Induced Fracturing Gas Generation Induced Fracturing Groundwater Transport Man-Caused Intrusion Container Movement in the Formation Water Intrusion Criticality Actinide Decay Period Climatic Changes Seismic Changes Groundwater Transport Man-Caused Intrusions Water Intrusion (Boreholes) Criticality Effects on the Geologic Formation Thermal Effects Waste/Rock Interaction Socioeconomic Impacts New Community Effects Psychological Aesthetic Civil Liberties Costs Distribution of Costs Impaction on Nuclear Proliferation
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From page 60... ...
icr 10° icr icr 10° STORAGE TIME, YEARS K) ' 10° FIGURE 5 Ingestion toxicity of fision product from a light water reactor.
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From page 61... ...
However, it is a fact that the lack of federal waste management to proceed expeditiously is seen by some people as a demonstrated lack of capability for managing these wastes and therefore the nuclear option is not viable. The placement of a moratorium or prohibition of deployment of the
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From page 62... ...
Estimates charged for having spent fuel, either on interim or ultimate disposal basis, have been about 0.l5 to l mill per kilowatt-hour. On the international scene, the United States has much to learn.
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From page 63... ...
delineating the first generation repository and waste forms so that engineered systems can be designed to mitigate risks, i.e., establish guidelines so that thermal inputs can be controlled and thereby meet temperature related criteria; and (g) providing a workable and integrated assessment of "gaps and uncertainties" in scientific and technical knowledge related to geologic repository.
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From page 64... ...
RECOMMENDED HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT POLICY There is an urgent need for a clear policy statement by the federal government to proceed with a comprehensive plan for the management of commerically generated high-level radioactive wastes. The following elements should be included in such a policy statement: l.
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From page 65... ...
3. Environmental Impact Statement, Management of Commercially Generated Radioactive Wastes, 1, p.
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From page 66... ...
A., "Migration Paths for Oklo Reactor Products and Applications to the Problem of Geological Storage of Nuclear Wastes," Natural Fission Reactor, Int. Atomic Energy Agency Technical Communication ll9, 620 p.
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