Social issues in radioactive wate management: the national experience

Three criteria for an effective and timely waste management program are established and evaluated. They include assurances that: 1 relevant social and institutional obstacles have been fully identified and assessed by responsible governmental agencies, which is not possible today nor likely in the next several years; 2 sufficient organizational and financial resources are in place or will be committed to overcome the obstacles, which are hampered by the magnitude of the problem and a hypercritical public; and 3 a broad base of public and institutional support exists or will be achieved for the management program and the implementing agencies, which now suffers from a deep public division over nuclear power. The needed support is not likely for the next 5-10 years, and may never be implemented. The author concludes that the current decision environment will continue to produce inconsistent policies and allow new problems to emerge. 81 references, 1 figures, 9 tables