Low-level waste management in the South. Task 4. 2 - long-term care requirements. [Shallow land burial]

Technical Report · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:5063754

This paper provides an analysis of the long-term care requirements of low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities. Among the topics considered are the technical requirements for long-term care, the experiences of the three inactive and three active commercial disposal facilities concerning perpetual care and maintenance, and the financial management of a perpetual care fund. In addition, certain recommendations for the establishment of a perpetual care fund are provided. The predominant method of disposing of low-level radioactive wastes is shallow land burial. After studying alternative methods of disposal, the U.S Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) concluded that there are no compelling reasons for abandoning this disposal method. Of the 22 shallow land burial facilities in the U.S., the federal government maintains 14 active and two inactive disposal sites. There are three active (Barnwell, South Carolina; Hanford, Washington; and Beatty, Nevada) and three inactive commercial disposal facilities (Maxey Flats, Kentucky; Sheffield, Illinois; and West Valley, New York). The life of a typical facility can be broken into five phases: preoperational, operational, closure, postclosure observation and maintenance, and institutional control. Long-term care of a shallow land burial facility will begin with the disposal site closure phase and continue through the postclosure observation and maintenance and institutional control phases. Since the postclosure observation and maintenance phase will last about five years and the institutional control phase 100 years, the importance of a well planned long-term care program is apparent. 26 references, 1 table.

• Research Organization: Southern States Energy Board, Atlanta, GA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: FG07-82ID12366
• OSTI ID: 5063754
• Report Number(s): DOE/ID/12366-3; ON: DE84008995
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
FINANCING
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MAINTENANCE
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RECOMMENDATIONS
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES