Development of regulatory policies on high-level waste disposal

This paper surveys the characteristics and status of development of high-level waste disposal criteria in five countries: the United States, Canada, the Federal Republic of Germany, Sweden and Switzerland. It describes the regulatory philosophies and positions of the regulatory authorities and the organizations developing repositories on five topics: qualitative safety goals, radiation protection requirements, technical performance criteria, time periods for compliance demonstration, and waste retrievability. This information can provide an improved understanding of the considerations important for regulation of waste disposal