Study on the background information for the R and D of geological disposal (2)

The law concerning the disposal of high level radioactive waste has passed on 31 May 2000, relating organizations have started the activities towards the disposal implementation. It is quite important for Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) to analyze the back ground information around the R and D items after 'H12 report' to make a substantial role in R and D fields. In this fiscal year, following two main topics were selected and studied. 1. Research and analysis on the options for the geological disposal concept. The major nuclear power-generating countries have almost all chosen deep geological disposal as preferred method for HLW disposal. Since 1990s, to make the geological disposal flexible, the various measures for the disposal of HLW have been discussed promoting the social acceptance. In this context, recent optional discussions and international evaluations on the following topics were studied and summarized. (1) Progress of the Partition/Transmutation technologies and international evaluations, (2) National Views on the Retrievability and progress, (3) Recent trends and discussions of international disposal, (4) Decision-making-evaluation and lessons from case studies. 2. Research and analysis on societal aspects on underground research laboratories. JNC has undertaken generic performance assessments report 'H-12 report', and the site-specific researches are strongly expected as the next step. In this fiscal year, considering the last year's results on supporting analysis to implement strategically the public relational activities for JNC and also the program of underground research facilities, societal aspects on the foreign underground research laboratories (Sweden, France, United States) are studied and summarized. And recent informations on the disposal site selection are also studied for Sweden, Finland and the United States. (1) Basic purpose and characteristics of the underground research facilities, (2) Implementing structures for societal activities and their approach, (3) Summary of examples and comparative studies of their characteristics. (author)