National Research Council study of the isolation system for geologic disposal of radioactive wastes

Book · Mon Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:60557

Pigford, T H

The panel was charged to review the alternative technologies available for isolating of radioactive waste in mined geologic repositories, evaluate the performance benefits from these technologies as potential elements of a waste isolation system, and identify appropriate technical criteria for satisfactory long-term performance of a geologic repository. Conceptual repositories in basalt, granite, salt, and tuff were considered. Site-specific data on geology, hydrology, and geochemical properties were evaluated and used to define parameters for estimating long-term environmental releases, supplemented when necessary by generic properties. Borosilicate glass and unreprocessed spent fuel are the waste forms appropriate for further testing and for repository designs. The overall criterion to be used by federal agencies in designing a geologic waste-isolation system and in evaluating its performance has not yet been specified. As a guideline, the panel selected an average annual dose of 10{sup -4} Sieverts to a maximally exposed individual at any future time, if the exposure is from expected events such as the slow dissolution of waste solids in wet-rock repositories and the groundwater transport of dissolved radionuclides to the biosphere. Estimates of environmental releases and individual doses were made both for unreprocessed spent fuel and for reprocessing wastes. Accelerated dissolution of waste exposed to groundwater during the period of repository heating was also considered. Long-term environmental releases of radioactivity from some repositories were calculated to cause doses to maximally exposed individuals that are several orders of magnitude below the individual dose criterion of 10{sup -4} Sieverts per year. The technology for geologic waste disposal has advanced to the state of a preliminary technical plan, suitable for testing, verification, and for pilot-facility confirmation. 130 references

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Berkeley
• OSTI ID: 60557
• Report Number(s): CONF-831174--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
58 GEOSCIENCES
BASALT
BOROSILICATE GLASS
DISSOLUTION
EVALUATION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGY
GRANITES
GROUND WATER
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
HYDROLOGY
RADIATION DOSES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
SALT DEPOSITS
SPENT FUELS
TUFF
WASTE-ROCK INTERACTIONS
Yucca Mountain Project