Prospects of new methods of nuclear waste disposed

The questions of radioactive waste disposal mainly in deep layers of the earth crust are discussed in respect of possible radioactivity release into the environment. The amounts of radioactive wastes in the near future are forecast as are the methods of the fixation of waste containing long-lived radioisotopes. Attention is paid to possible chemical reactions of some radioisotopes in transport through geological formations. The geochemical and geophysical properties of geologic formations affect the rate of radioactivity transport following the decay of the metal container and the glass matrix containing the radioactive waste. This time may be 200 years and more. (J.B.)