Management of Commercially Generated Radioactive Waste - U.S. ...

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35. (Page 3.1.26, third paragraph) This appears to be largely a list
of problems, with only speculative solutions. How does DOE intend to
28. (Page 3.1.20) How important is climatic change in determining the cope with these problems?
evaluation of the hydrologic environment? Increased precipitation 36. (Page 3.1.27, line 19) The spelling of "instrusive" rocks should
might fill up an unsaturated aquifer, but how would it affect the be corrected to "intrusive."
permeability or porosity of an aquifer in the zone of saturation?
37. (Page 3.1.28, first paragraph) The measurement of the equivalence
29. (Page 3.1.22, first paragraph) The first sentence should of the hazards of waste repositories and natural ore is a complex
substitute volcanic activity for magmatism and a sentence immediately subject. Many of the hazard indices are concerned only with the amount
following should cite the fact that unlike other catastrophic events of radioactive material and its toxicity, without consideration of
98 percent of all volcanism on earth is confined to regions of global routes by which the activity can reach man.
plate boundaries. Since this is a known fact, the reference to
magmatism in line 11 should be deleted. A sentence following line 11 38. (Page 3.1.32) The discussion of ground water flow appears to be
(with magmatism deleted) could state that volcanism (magmatism) is concerned only with maintaining a dry repository during the
predictable since it is virtually confined to the region of global construction period. It is necessary to consider the ground water
plate boundaries. In any case volcanism (magmatism) should be clearly after the closure as a possible means of transport of the radioactivity.
separated from tectonism and this has not been accomplished on
page 3.1.22. 39. (Page 3.1.35, fourth paragraph) There is an implication in this
paragraph that the unknown problems listed will have an effect only on
30. (Page 3.1.22) Isotopic date provinces have been delineated in the the cost of the repository, requiring generally greater spacing and
Precambrian basement rock (Dott and Batten, Evolution of the Earth, therefore a larger, more expensive repository. The question of
1976, p. 165), and the importance of these boundaries may be second reduction of the effectiveness of the repository, for example by
only in significance to the global plate boundaries in site selection, fracturing rock, is not addressed.
While these boundaries are exposed in the Canadian Shield they are
buried beneath sedimentary rocks in the rest of the North American 40. (Page 3.1.38, first paragraph) This paragraph suggests that the
continent; however, the extension of the Grenville isotopic boundary fission product problem terminates with the decay of strontium-90 and
beneath the sediment has been correlated with major seismic events in cesium-137. While this may be substantially true for the production of
the eastern portion of the North American continent. It is recommended heat and for acute radiation hazard, it is not true for the
that the isotopic date boundaries be addressed in site selection significance of the waste as a health hazard. Doses from
considerations. technetium-99, iodine-129, and cesium-135 are not negligible over a
long time frame. This problem is repeated in the last sentence of the
31. (Page 3.1.23, third paragraph) It should be recognized that both next paragraph.
climate and hydrologic gradients may change in the course of time.
41. (Page 3.1.38, fifth and sixth paragraphs) In the early phases,
32. (Page 3.1.24, middle) There is a reference to a nonexistent actinide elements, particularly plutonium-238 and plutonium-241, are
section 3.1.1.3. significant. Tritium may also be significant. In the long time frame
cesiun-135 and carbon-I 4 might also be significant.
33. (Page 3.1.24, seventh paragraph) It is not necessarily true that
the primary geological barrier to waste migration will be the 42. (Page 3.1.40, licensing) Does the waste package design refer to
repository host rock. Intrusions by man or overriding natural the container alone, the container plus waste form, or the entire
processes and events may throw the primary dependence onto other system? It does not seem that the waste container and form problems
geological formations. are more difficult from a licensing standpoint than the other barriers.
34. (Page 3.1.25, bottom half) This material is of concern only in
the short term.