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Robust disposal concept, uniform regulations, and trust in the messenger; three fundamental building blocks for consent-based HLW-disposal solutions in the USA - 15104

Conference ·
OSTI ID:22822664
 [1]
  1. Registered Professional Geologist n.437 in North Carolina (United States)
Pending enabling legislation, the USA's HLW-disposal program had been held in political abeyance since 2009 at the crossroads to one or both of the Yucca Mountain candidate (since 1987) HLW-repository in Nevada and/or the consent-based siting of the new HLW-disposal and centralized HLW-storage facilities proposed in 2012; a road not previously travelled. The consent-based siting approach would require the following gap between the reality (A) and the requirement (B) for public trust, acceptance and sustained support (PASS) to be bridged: A. Less than 1% of the general public in any given country fully comprehends the scientific-underpinnings and the projected health risks imposed by a HLW repository. B. More than 50% of the general public in a given geographical area would have to accept to host it from start to end. The following PASS-building blocks, successfully used at the WIPP-site in New Mexico and abroad to get from A to B during the past 30+ years, are thus highly recommended: 1. Defining the consent footprint upon host-county/state boundaries and/or radiation/health-risks and/or to identify/designate the directly affected parties (DAPs). 2. Using databases and lessons-learned by other repository programs to advantage. 3. Presenting the information in terms and/or by examples more readily understood by laypeople, because both their acceptance and opposition/rejection are influenced by: a. The type, number, problems, and status of 'similar' disposal concepts; and b. The level of i. Radiation protection provided by applicable regulations; ii. Involvement and decision-making authority vested in the DAPs; and iii. Their trust in the 'spokesperson/messenger. (authors)
Research Organization:
WM Symposia, Inc., PO Box 27646, 85285-7646 Tempe, AZ (United States)
OSTI ID:
22822664
Report Number(s):
INIS-US--19-WM-15104
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English