Management of commercial radioactive nuclear wastes. A status report

Technical Report · Mon May 10 00:00:00 EDT 1976

OSTI ID:7294678

Radioactive wastes, an inevitable by-product of nuclear power generation, can be managed in a safe manner. As stated in ERDA's report entitled ''Alternatives for Managing Wastes from Reactors and Post-Fission Operations in the LWR Fuel Cycle,'' the technological alternatives for multiple barrier isolation of radioactive wastes include three successive steps: 1) solidification of high-level nuclear wastes to a stable form; 2) the encapsulation of the solid; and 3) the storage of the containers in known stable underground geologic formations. The experience in handling radioactive wastes during the past 30 years has helped in planning and should minimize problems of large-scale commercial operations. The Federal Government's responsibilities for insuring safe and environmentally clean nuclear waste management are carried out through a program which involves: environmental assessments and impact statements; selection of particular technologies for waste solidification; selection and qualification of waste terminal storage sites; demonstration of technical development for commercial scale operations; and establishment of environmental, safety, and related regulatory standards. Because radioactive waste volumes are small, the costs of their disposal will not have a significant impact on the cost of electric power. (BYB)

• Research Organization: Energy Resources Council, Washington, D.C. (USA); Executive Office of the President, Energy Resources Council
• OSTI ID: 7294678
• Report Number(s): NP-20687
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
SAFETY
COST
NUCLEAR POWER
REGULATIONS
SOLIDIFICATION
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
US ERDA
US NRC
MANAGEMENT
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
POWER
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
290600* - Energy Planning & Policy- Nuclear Energy
290300 - Energy Planning & Policy- Environment
Health
& Safety
052000 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Management