AN OVERVIEW OF GEOLOGIC DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES

ABSTRACT The concept of disposal of radioactive wastes in mined caverns in geological formations was proposed over two decades ago. During the formulative years of study, the research and development activities were directed primarily to the disposal of wastes in salt beds. During the latter half of the 1970–79 decade, the waste technology programs were expanded substantially in finances and personnel in the USA, Canada, Sweden, and West Germany, and in consideration of a broader range of geologic media, including granite, basalt, tuff, and shale. This paper examines the state-of-the-art of the technology developed to date for geologic disposal and the key issues of concern to the public and technical communities, and provides an assessment of what is viewed as being required to transform the notion of geologic disposal from concept to fact. The position is taken that the level of technology is immediately adequate for the geologic disposal of low-level radioactive wastes, and for the retrievable storage of high-level wastes. Furthermore, it is the opinion of the authors that the technology programs planned for the 1980–89 decade will provide the resolution required for safe, permanent disposal of high-level wastes in mined geologic caverns.