Some fundamental difficulties encountered in handling wastes and waste products from nuclear reactors

Three sites in the U.S. are licensed to accept high-level liquid wastes; Hanford at Richland, Washington; Savannah River near Barnwell, South Carolina; and the National Reactor Testing Site at Idaho Falls, Idaho. Since 1964, all new high-level liquid wastes are stored in double-shelled, steel-lined tanks, ranging in size from 55,000 to 1.3 million gallons. Previously such wastes were stored in single-shelled tanks but, over the years, 20 leaks have released almost 500,000 gallons. Methods of storing lower level wastes are described and methods of disposing still lower wastes to the ground or by grouting in hydraulically fractured rocks are described. Various methods of disposing of high-level wastes that are still under development are discussed briefly. The need for a permanent disposal program for such wastes is emphasized and certain criteria for such disposal are listed