Sub-Seabed Repository for Nuclear Waste - a Strategic Alternative - 13102
- Department of the Navy, 15 Turkey Foot Court, Darnestown, MD 20878 (United States)
It was recognized at the outset of nuclear power generation in the 1950's that the waste products would require isolation away from humans for periods in excess of 10,000 years. After years studying alternatives, the DOE recommended pursuing the development of a SNF/HLW disposal facility within Yucca Mountain in the desert of Nevada. That recommendation became law with passage of the NWPAA, effectively stopping development of other approaches to the waste problem. In the face of political resistance from the state of Nevada, the 2010 decision to withdraw the license application for the geologic repository at Yucca Mountain has delayed further the most mature option for safe, long-term disposal of SNF and HLW. It is time to revisit an alternative option, sub-seabed disposal within the US Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which would permanently sequester waste out of the biosphere, and out of the reach of saboteurs or terrorists. A proposal is made for a full scale pilot project to demonstrate burying radioactive waste in stable, deep ocean sediments. While much of the scientific work on pelagic clays has been done to develop a sub-seabed waste sequestration capability, this proposal introduces technology from non-traditional sources such as riser-less ocean drilling and the Navy's Sound Surveillance System. The political decisions affecting the issue will come down to site selection and a thorough understanding of comparative risks. The sub-seabed sequestration of nuclear waste has the potential to provide a robust solution to a critical problem for this clean and reliable energy source. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- WM Symposia, 1628 E. Southern Avenue, Suite 9-332, Tempe, AZ 85282 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 22224887
- Report Number(s):
- INIS-US-13-WM-13102; TRN: US14V0324045842
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: WM2013: Waste Management Conference: International collaboration and continuous improvement, Phoenix, AZ (United States), 24-28 Feb 2013; Other Information: Country of input: France; 18 refs.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
58 GEOSCIENCES
BIOSPHERE
CLAYS
DESERTS
DRILLING
ENERGY SOURCES
HAZARDS
LICENSE APPLICATIONS
MOCHOVCE RADIOACTIVE WASTE REPOSITORY
NEVADA
NUCLEAR POWER
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SEAS
SECURITY
SITE SELECTION
SOUND WAVES
YUCCA MOUNTAIN