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

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Comment
Comment
Number
lumber
4.
S.b.2
ALTERNATIVE DISPOSAL CONCEPTS
Some discussion of retrievability from deep holes should be provided.
4.a Geologic Emplacement Following Chemical Resynthesis 4.b.3 p. 3.3.33
It is stated that, "It will be necessary to locate sites in strong,
4.a.1 Chemical resynthesis is not an alternative waste disposal concept but unfractured rock of low water content." This will exclude such media as
rather an alternative waste form which would be a candidate for a number
shale and salt because of strength, and most other media because of
of disposal alternatives presented in this document. The designs of deep fracturing. Why hasn't this same site selection criterion been applied to
geologic repositories place major (if not total) reliance for containment
conventional geologic disposal?
of radionuclides on the surrounding geology (See Section 3.1.1). Reliance
on the waste form itself and its packaging to prevent radionuclide release
over the long term has not received intense emphasis. For example,
4.b.4 p. 3.3.33
The section on the thermomechanical behavior of rocks does not acknowledge
Section 3.1.4.2 points out that the reference solidification process for
conventional geologic disposal is conversion to glass, as the alternative
waste developedand forms are ess well
that a significant body of information has been published on studies of
hydrothermal alteration of natural rock bodies. The time, temperature,
the nature of ion migration in .hydrothermally altered rocks has been
4.b Very Deep Hole Concept
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studied for years by igneous/metamorphic petrographers, geochemists and
mining companies. c
.b.5 p. 3.3.37
..b.l On page 3.3.1 ..b. O e 3 1 The citation for Reference 27 is inadequate. Provide information whereby
It is stated:
"In summary, the deep hole concept cannot be evaluted as a nuclear Mr./Ms. Stevens can be contacted.
waste alternative without more information on the deep groundwater
system, rock strength under increased temperatures and pressures due
The Rock Meltin Concept
to decay of wastes, and the sealing of the holes over long periods of
" 4.c.l General
These are three areas that have also been identified under the research
The Rock Melt Concept discussed in Section 3.4 assumes that the cavity is
loaded over a period of years. This prolonged loading time has at least
and development needs section (Section 3.1.6) for Conventional Geologic two disadvantages. First, the physical integrity of access and venting
shafts must be maintained for the duration of the loading. Second, the
Disposal. cooling water itself will be contaminated and must be carefully contained
a.. Why does the evalution of deep hole disposal as an alternative depend and eventually the contamination must be disposed of as yet another waste.
on obtaining this information, while it is taken for grantedthat
conventional Geologic Disposal is a viable alternative? Another loading scheme should be considered. The waste could be stored at
the surface until the full load for the cavity has been accumulated. The
b. If this information is obtained for conventional geologic disposal, waste could then be rapidly loaded into the cavity and the cavity quickly
sealed.
would It apply to deep hole disposal?
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