Risk and decisions about disposition of transuranic and high-level radioactive waste / Committee on Risk-Based Approaches for Disposition of Transuranic and High-Level Radioactive Waste ; Board on Radioactive Waste Management ; Division on Earth and Life Studies ; National Research Council of the National Academies.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

National Research Council (U.S.). Board on Radioactive Waste Management.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Radioactive waste disposal--Risk assessment--United States.

Radioactive waste disposal.

Radioactive waste sites--Cleanup.

Radioactive waste sites.

Radioactive waste disposal--United States.

Radioactive wastes--Management.

Radioactive wastes.

Radioactive wastes--Environmental aspects.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (229 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Other Title:

Risks and decisions about disposition of transuranic and high-level radioactive waste

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : National Academies Press, c2005.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) manages dozens of sites across the nation that focus on research, design, and production of nuclear weapons and nuclear reactors for defense applications. Radioactive wastes at these sites pose a national challenge, and DOE is considering how to most effectively clean them up. Some of the greatest projected risks, cleanup costs, and technical challenges come from processing and disposing transuranic and high-level radioactive waste. This report addresses how DOE should incorporate risk into decisions about whether the nation should use alternatives to deep geologic disposal for some of these wastes. It recommends using an exemption process involving risk assessment for determining how to dispose of problematic wastes. The report outlines criteria for risk assessment and key elements of a risk-informed approach. The report also describes the types of wastes that are candidates for alternative disposition paths, potential alternatives to deep geologic disposal for disposition of low-hazard waste, and whether these alternatives are compatible with current regulations.

Contents:

Intro

List of Report Reviewers

Preface

Contents

Executive Summary

1 Introduction and Background

2 Why Consider Flexibility in Disposal Options?

3 Exemption Process

4 A Risk-Informed Approach: Procedures and Criteria for Risk Assessment to Support an Exemption Process

5 Impediments to a Successful Application of the Risk-Informed Approach

6 Findings and Recommendations

References

Appendixes

Appendix A Overview: Risk Assessment

Appendix B Summary of Previous Studies and Programs Aimed at Incorporating Risk into DOE Environmental Management Decision Making

Appendix C Information-Gathering Meetings

Appendix D Glossary

Appendix E Biographical Sketches of Committee Members.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. 149-162).

ISBN:

9780309165273

030916527X

9780309547871

0309547873

OCLC:

606925837