Aspects on the licensing of a final repository for reactor wastes

One of the more important issues is the performance of the repository as an integrated system considering its content of various waste forms, barriers, etc. By relying entirely on the stability of the barriers, such as concrete and bentonite, some difficulties could be mitigated in the risk evaluation. To what extent the barriers would be influenced by processes depending on the properties of the wastes is discussed. Two such processes are described, namely gas evolution from corrosion of steel and swelling of ion exchange resins incorporated in bitumen. Finally, the interplay between the control programme during the construction work and the development of waste acceptance criteria is delineated. (orig./PW)