Nuclear waste partitioning and transmutation

Journal Article · Mon Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · Nucl. Technol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7178228

Blomeke, J O; Croff, A G

The long-term (>1000 years) hazard of radioactive waste emplaced in a geologic repository could be reduced by separating the most significant long-lived radionuclides and transmitting them to stable products by bombardment with neutrons in power reactors. A cost-risk-benefit analysis of this concept shows that, while it is technically feasible to partition and transmute the principal long-lived constituents, there are no cost-risk-benefit incentives that can be identified. The cost of partitioning and transmuting the actinide elements is estimated to be $9.2 million/GW(electric) X yr (1.28 mill/kWh(electric)). The short-term radiological risk is increased by 0.003 health-effect/GW(electric) X yr, and the expected long-term benefit (i.e., incremental risk reduction from a repository) is 0.06 health-effect/GW(electric) X yr integrated over 1 million years. The latter is only about 0.001% of the health-effects expected from natural background radiation and is equivalent to $32,400 per person-rem saved. If nonradiological risks are included, the short-term risk actually exceeds the long-term benefits.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory Chemical Technology Division, P.O. Box X, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830
• OSTI ID: 7178228
• Journal Information: Nucl. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 56:2; ISSN NUTYB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
BARYONS
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
DATA
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EVALUATED DATA
FERMIONS
FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
HADRONS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
INFORMATION
ISOTOPES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
NEUTRONS
NUCLEONS
NUMERICAL DATA
PARTITION
PROCESSING
RADIATION HAZARDS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RISK ASSESSMENT
TRANSMUTATION
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES