Disposal alternatives and recommendations for waste salt management for repository excavation in the Palo Duro Basin, Texas
This report documents an evaluation of five alternatives for the disposal of waste salt that would be generated by the construction of a repository for radioactive waste in underground salt deposits at either of two sites in the Palo Duro Basin, Texas. The alternatives include commercial disposal, offsite deep-well injection, disposal in abandoned mines, ocean disposal, and land surface disposal on or off the site. For each alternative a reference case was rated - positive, neutral, or negative - in terms of environmental and dependability factors developed specifically for Texas sites. The factors constituting the environmental checklist relate to water quality impact, water- and land-use conflicts, ecological compatibility, conformity with air quality standards, and aesthetic impact. Factors on the dependability check-list relate to public acceptance, the adequacy of site characterization, permit and licensing requirements, technological requirements, and operational availability. A comparison of the ratings yielded the following viable alternatives, in order of preference: (1) land surface disposal, specifically disposal on tailings piles associated with abandoned potash mines; (2) disposal in abandoned mines, specifically potash mines; and (3) commercial disposal. Approaches to the further study of these three salt management techniques are recommended.
- Research Organization:
- NUS Corp., Gaithersburg, MD (USA); Battelle Memorial Inst., Columbus, OH (USA). Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation
- OSTI ID:
- 6820685
- Report Number(s):
- BMI/ONWI-620; ON: DE87006594
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
CONSTRUCTION
EXCAVATION
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MANAGEMENT
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
PALO DURO BASIN
PERMIAN BASIN
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
SALT DEPOSITS
SOLID WASTES
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES