Impact of different transmutation strategies on the risk from the radioactive waste

A comprehensive study has been carried out with the aim of quantifying and comparing on a consistent basis the actinide-related component of the long-term risk for different transmutation systems with closed fuel cycles. The analyses are based on a direct method for calculating equilibrium fuel compositions and a scheme for evaluating nuclide-specific contributions to the risk from storing the remaining radioactive waste. The comparison is performed for systems with a wide range of characteristics including conventional reactors and different accelerator-based transmuters. The results allow to draw interesting conclusions regarding the long-term risk arising from the recycling of plutonium and minor actinides, as also the inherent long-term risks associated with the uranium-plutonium and the thorium-uranium fuel cycles. (author) 2 figs., 1 tab., 8 refs