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

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oceanic islands for which relatively long sea voyages for transporting the rock." From this statement one would conclude that crystalline rock was
radioactive wastes will be necessary. The other option is disposal in the most common rock type exposed on islands. This is not the case, e.g.,
continental islands. For this option, the transport time at sea is small the Antilles, the Japanese and Philippine archipelagos, New Guinea,
with the possibility of using a ferry-type transport system, facilities at Bikini, Bermuda, etc.
the embarkation and receiving port could be simplified. Table 4.2.1
indicates that an offshore continental island has been chosen as the 4.d.4 p. 1.26
reference system. The two options should continue to be treated The statement on line 9, that island arcs are highly active seismically
separately and additional information concerning environmental impacts and and volcanically is not necessarily correct as there are tectonically
accident risks be developed for both options. Note that although the inactive island arcs.
offshore continental island option appears to be the option with the least
transportation environmental impact, it also has associated with it the 4.d.5 p. 3.5.1 (also on page 3.5.5)
least benefits. Section 3.5.1 states that the concept of the island The assumption of a "practically static" salt water system below the fresh
disposal is being considered because of the benefits derived from this water lens should be approached with reservation. The stability depends
disposal option. Benefits such as location in a separate hydrogeological upon many factors some of which are mentioned in the text (p. 3.5.18),
zone, seawater dilution of radioactive leaks, enhanced security of a some aren't. Examples of these factors are: amount of rainfall,
remote location, and a site with international jurisdictional status would frequency of rainfall, water usage (pumping regimes), tides, sea level
all be minimized if the offshore continental island option is chosen. It fluctuations, and erosion. -
is important to continue to explore both options with the ultimate choice 5
being left to a risk-benefit analysis after more complete information is In what sense is the ocean considered to provide an additional barrier?
developed.
4.d.6 p. 3.5.12
4.d.2 Section 3.5 The statement that 85 percent of the world's earthquake energy is released
The ability to dewater a site is an extremely important site characteristic in the Pacific margins should be documented.
Dewatering with the attendant equipment may impose such an economic burden
that an otherwise suitable site may be ultimately rejected. The dewatering 4.d.7 p. 3.5.12
problem may, in the end, result in the rejection of the island arc and Figure 3.5.6 does not show major basement rock types. There is a figure
oceanic island locations. In addition, the retrievability of waste placed showing major basement rock types in Reference 5 (Bayley and Muehlberger;
in any island watery environment, particularly salt water, is questionable 1968), which has Figure 3.5.6 as an inset, titled "Principle Basement
considering the ef-:ts of corrosion on dewatering equipment. Provinces."
4.d.3 p. 5 4.d.8 p. 3.5.18
Section 1.3.5 states that "Salt deposits are unlikely to be available at The discussion of sorptive phenomenon is not sufficiently covered. A
island sites; the most probable disposal formation (sic) is crystalline comparison of the sorptive properties associated with island disposal with