Report of Task Force for review of nuclear waste management. Draft

Technical Report · Wed Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1978

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6987709· OSTI ID:6987709

Some of the findings of the Task Force are: a majority of independent technical experts have concluded that high-level waste can be safely disposed in geological media, but validation of the specific technical choices will be an important element of the licensing process. Reprocessing is not required for the safe disposal of commercial spent fuel. Consideration should be given to an early demonstration of the geologic disposal of a limited number of spent fuel assemblies in the waste Isolation Pilot Plant. The Spent Fuel Policy announced by President Carter in October 1977 must be integrated with the Waste Management Policy. The Task Force report highlights the importance of away from reactor storage that occurs between on-site storage of spent fuel at utilities and ultimate disposal. The target for initial operation in 1985 os a National Waste Repository for the permanent disposal of commercial high-level waste as spent fuel may not be met; this does not affect the early 1980s schedule for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. The responsibility for the ultimate disposal for all forms of nuclear waste should be with the Federal Government and long-term waste disposal facilities should be subject to NRC licensing. The NEPA process is an essential part of the nuclear waste management program and Department of Energy efforts in this regard must be strengthened. Policy and program management responsibility for Waste Management should be raised to a higher level in the Department of Energy. There are substantial budgetary impacts of the Task Force recommendations and legislation would be required to carry out many of the suggested changes. (LK)

• Research Organization: Department of Energy, Washington, D.C. (USA). Office of Energy Research
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• OSTI ID: 6987709
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER-0004/D; TRN: 78-011532
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage