Radiation safety in the distant future: The issue of the disposal of long lived waste. Topical issue 5

The paper addresses the problems associated with ensuring the safety of the disposal of radioactive waste and, in particular, the issue of providing for safety over the extremely long durations needed for the isolation of some of the radionuclides contained in wastes. It reviews the current planning strategies for the management of long lived radioactive waste and it discusses the still developing subject of safety criteria for repositories in the distant future. The problems of demonstrating compliance with safety criteria in the presence of the uncertainties associated with predictions of the long term performance of the repositories and of explaining the safety case to the public are addressed. Finally, the most important issues in this field still requiring attention are summarized. (author)