Perspective on demonstrations of compliance for high-level waste disposal

Conference · Thu Mar 15 00:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6604555

Kocher, D C; Smith, E D; O'Kelly, G D; Sjoreen, A L

This paper discusses a perspective which we have developed on the problem of demonstrating compliance of high-level waste repositories with system performance standards. Our viewpoint arises from two primary concerns - first, that the US Environmental Protection Agency's proposed environmental standard for high-level waste disposal appears to require demonstrations of compliance which are incompatible with scientific knowledge, and, second, that the federal agencies involved in the licensing process may not appreciate fully the extent of unquantifiable and uresolvable uncertainty in repository performance-assessment models. We propose a general approach to demonstrations of compliance which we feel is compatible with the kinds of technical information that will be available for judging repository performance. Our approach emphasizes the importance of investigation alternative conceptual models and lines of reasoning in evaluating repository performance and the importance of subjective scientific judgment in the desision-making process. 24 references, 1 figure.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA); Union Carbide Corp., Oak Ridge, TN (USA). Nuclear Div.
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 6604555
• Report Number(s): CONF-840307-48; ON: DE85000989
• Resource Relation: Conference: Waste management '84, Tucson, AZ, USA, 11 Mar 1984
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
PERFORMANCE
COMPLIANCE
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage