DISPOSAL OPTIONS FOR DISUSED RADIOACTIVE SOURCES

This report presents the full range of disposal options that might be used for all types of disused radioactive sources, with special attention being paid to the technological features of the different options. It provides a simple scheme to help the owners of radioactive sources decide on the most appropriate disposal option for different types of sources, based upon their half-lives and their strengths. Disposal of radioactive sources in shafts or boreholes, apart from satisfying safety requirements and being attractive from an economic viewpoint, is considerably more flexible and modular, has no large initial investment demands and is less intrusive on the landscape than conventional disposal facilities. Since it also has similar or even better containment performance than other disposal options, disposal in shallow- and intermediate-depth boreholes has been practised or proposed for different types of radioactive waste in various countries and presently is being assessed internationally.