Safeguards issues relevant to geologic disposal of spent nuclear fuels

Conference · Tue Oct 31 23:00:00 EST 1989 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA)

OSTI ID:6774711

Pillay, K K.S. ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)

Two major controversies surrounding the nuclear industry are radioactive waste management and nuclear material safeguards. Although the current policy of the United States is to dispose of spent fuels from light water reactors in geologic repositories, very few member states of the International Atomic Energy Agency have adopted this policy of burying valuable energy resources in geological repositories in perpetuity. Most European states that are considering geologic emplacement of spent fuels are only considering it as an interim measure for possible reuse of the resources in the future. In all these cases, safeguarding nuclear materials contained within the spent fuels is important to prevent proliferation and possible diversion of nuclear materials from peaceful uses. In civilian nuclear fuel cycles, the time between removal of spent nuclear fuels from reactors and the final stages of nuclear waste disposal spans several decades. Safeguarding nuclear materials contained in spent fuels during this period varies with (a) storage modes, (b) packaging and transportation requirements, and (c) treatment of spent fuel for consolidation or recovery of fissile elements. This paper considers some possible diversion scenarios of spent nuclear fuels and identifies actions necessary to evaluate the needs of a comprehensive safeguards system to assure both domestic and international safeguards.

• OSTI ID: 6774711
• Report Number(s): CONF-891103--
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA), Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA) Vol. 60; ISSN TANSA; ISSN 0003-018X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

055000* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Safeguards
Inspection
& Accountability
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290600 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Nuclear Energy
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
ACCURACY
ALARM SYSTEMS
BWR TYPE REACTORS
ENERGY SOURCES
FISSILE MATERIALS
FISSIONABLE MATERIALS
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
FUEL CYCLE
FUELS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
IAEA
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
INTRUSION DETECTION SYSTEMS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR FUELS
NUCLEAR MATERIALS DIVERSION
PACKAGING
PHYSICAL PROTECTION
PWR TYPE REACTORS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
RELIABILITY
SAFEGUARDS
SPENT FUEL STORAGE
SPENT FUELS
STORAGE
TRANSPORT
VERIFICATION
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS