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

3-39 3-40
Comment
'umber -b-
Comment
Number
i.17 p. -. 3.1.137
The section on long-term impacts is devoted entirely to accidents that may
seem most unlikely to occur in practice .... the calculated number of
health effects attributable to this accident would range from 1x10 4 breach the repository, most of which are presented as being so improbable
to
3xl0 5 that they are unlikely to ever occur. There is no discussion presented of
.
expected long-term impact. If the facility is sited, filled and sealed
according to plan, what will the long-term consequences of this action be
GEIS goes on to multiply these figures by 1/100 as the probability of
failure of waste containment and by 4x10l 11 in the absence of unlikely accidents? This question is discussed partially
in Appendix I but the discussjons are not presented in the text of the
GEIS as projected impacts of the action.
/yr as the probability of a new
fault intersecting the repository to arrive at insignificant risk levels.
The probability of an existing fault becoming permeable should also be
considered.
3.i.18 . 3.1.133.j
Releases are estimated for four hypothetical accident sequences. The
Research and Development
numbers associated with the releases are presented by the GEIS as "what
if" calculations, without discussion of why these sequences are important
except to say that they are "believed most representative" of release
events. How these events were chosen and why they are believed to be
representative and to bound the impact of long-term consequences should be
discussed. discussed
3.j.1 General Comment
It would seem advisable, if not already considered, to gather information
regarding the long-term stability of boreholes, wells, and other deep rock
penetrations in regions considered favorable for repository location.
These observations can provide additional clues on assessing the stability
of
'r
the repository location. This would be useful in assessing the host
3.1.19 p. 3.1.138
media as well as that of the overlying and underlying formations especially
when considering the Very Deep Hole concept of waste isolation. Pertubations
References relevant to this discussion and not cited include: of the earth's near-surface are readily detectable in both cased and
1. K.A. Solomon, R.C. Erdmann and D. Okrent, "Estimate of Hazards of a
uncased holes through sheared, ruptured, and squeezed boreholes and casings.
Nuclear Reactor from the Random Impact of Meteorities," Nucl.
25. 68 (1975).
Technical, 3.j.2 p. 3.1.237
There is no discussion of research needs in the hydrologic transport aspects
of geologic disposal. Of prime importance are the chemical and thermal
2. K.A. Solomon, R.C. Erdmann, T.E. Hicks and D. Okrent, "Estimates of interactions involving dissolved wastes and the natural rock.
the Hazards to a Nuclear Reactor from Random Impact of Meteorities,"
USCL-NEG-7426, University of California at Los Angeles (March 1979). 3.k General
3..20 . 3.1.150 to 3.1.155 3.k. p. 1.3
"The annual doses to a maximum individual associated with the breach of a The underground firing of nuclear explosives results in the formation of
salt repository are three to ten times the permissible annual dose for vitrified debris, due to the solidification of molten and vaporized rock.
occupational exposures ... Thus the calculated doses and consequences Thousands of tons of such vitrified debris have been in place for periods
of up to 25 years, mostly in tuff at the Nevada Test Site, but also in