The current strategy for safe management and disposal of transuranic radioactive waste in the USA

Current laws in the United States of America direct the Department of Energy (DOE) to safely manage transuranic radioactive waste resulting from past, current and future defense-related nuclear activities. They also direct the DOE to develop and operate a deep geological repository for safe disposal of transuranic radioactive waste at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site in southeastern New Mexico. The WIPP will be a world-class first of a kind facility for safe disposal of long-lived transuranic waste. It will be the first permanent repository licensed under a rigorous, ultra-conservative regulatory program requiring a risk-based performance assessment to demonstrate compliance with the environmental standards for 10,000 years. Its continued safe operation in compliance with several hazardous waste regulations and one of the strictest environmental radiation protection standards in the world will enhance public confidence in the safety of deep geological repositories both in the USA and abroad