The disposal of high-activity nuclear wastes in the oceans

The potential for marine pollution inherent in a deep ocean disposal policy for high-activity nuclear wastes is reviewed. In discussing this disposal problem high-activity waste and natural marine inventories of radioactivity are compared and the hypothetical programme of high-activity waste disposal in the deep ocean is contrasted to the past and present practice of coastal marine discharges of low-level nuclear effluents. (U.K.)