Safety of long term storage of radioactive waste

As the amounts of radioactive waste in surface storage have increased, concern has grown over the safety and sustainability of storage in the long term. In response to these concerns, the IAEA held a series of specialist meetings to draft a position paper on the safety and sustainability of long term storage. The position paper is intended for general readership and discusses issues where a broad consensus exists and areas where issues remain unresolved. A key theme is the contrast of the safety and sustainability implications of long term storage with those of early disposal. The present paper provides a summary of the position paper, and issues for further consideration. (author)