Assessment of high-level waste form conformance with proposed regulatory and repository criteria

Federal regulatory criteria for geologic disposal of high-level waste are under development. Also, interim performance specifications for high-level waste forms in geologic isolation are being developed within the Federal program responsible for repository selection and operation. Two high-level waste forms, borosilicate glass and crystalline ceramic, have been selected as candidate immobilization forms for the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) which is to immobilize high-level wastes at the Savannah River Plant (SRP). An assessment of how these two waste forms conform with the proposed regulatory criteria and repository specifications was performed. Both forms were determined to be in conformance with postulated rules for radionuclide releases and radiation exposures throughout the entire waste disposal system, as well as with proposed repository operation requirements