Problem of highly active waste disposal
Hundreds of millions of cubic meters of radioactive wastes (RAW) with radioactivity of about tens of billions curie have been generated as a result of the operation of nuclear energy and radiochemical plants, nuclear research institutes and energy power units of warships and ice-breakers and the application of isotopic materials for industrial, agricultural, scientific and medical needs. The main volume of radioactivity is connected with highly active waste (HAW) of plutonium production used for military needs, spent nuclear fuel of nuclear power stations, reactors for transport and research needs and products of HAW processing. HAW is stored in temporary repositories, among them are ground and shallow underground constructions, open reservoirs inside of industrial territories, basins-coolers of nuclear power stations, special ships etc. Volume of accumulated HAW totals tens of thousands of cubic meters. This level is dangerous for public health and the environment. According to MAGATE recommendations and government rules of different countries, it is determined that, while long-term storing and disposing of radioactive materials, it is necessary to isolate them from the environment and from people. The period of reliable isolation of RAW depends on the composition and the concentration of radionuclides and can reach millions of years. The problem of safe isolation of HAW can be connected with HAW disposal into geological formations, represented by clay (Belgium, Italy), salts (USA, Germany, Denmark, Japan), granite massifs (France, Finland, Sweden, Canada), tuff (USA, Japan) and other types of rocks. A review of the problem is presented.
- OSTI ID:
- 178150
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950917-; ISBN 0-7918-1219-7; TRN: 96:006663
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 5. international conference on radioactive waste management and environmental remediation, Berlin (Germany), 3-9 Sep 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Fifth international conference on radioactive waste management and environmental remediation -- ICEM `95: Proceedings. Volume 1: Cross-cutting issues and management of high-level waste and spent fuel; Slate, S.; Feizollahi, F.; Creer, J. [eds.]; PB: 900 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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