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

5.105
5.10 UNAVOIDABLE ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH RADIOACTIVE WASTE
DISPOSAL IN GEOLOGIC REPOSITORIES
Impacts associated with nonradiological accidents during construction of geologic
repositories and the dose to the work force emplacing the wastes, are perhaps the most sig-
nificant unavoidable adverse impacts. In the strictest sense, such accidents should be
avoidable, but experience in construction and mining suggests they will happen even with the
best safety programs. The estimated number of expected fatalities (or permanent disabling
injuries) ranged from 6 to 17 per 1000 GWe-yr of electrical energy generation, depending on
repository media and whether disposal is for spent fuel or for fuel reprocessing wastes.
While the number of lives which might be lost during mining operations could be obviated by
some other disposal alternative, the radiation dose from waste disposal would be comparable
(at least at this stage of estimating) for alternative disposal methods. (As a point of
perspective, about 200 linemen would be expected to lose their lives in the process of
bringing 1000 GWe-yr of electrical energy to its users regardless of the generation
mechanism.)
The radiation dose to the work force emplacing the waste was estimated to be 4 x
103 man-rem for spent fuel and 8 x 104 man-rem for fuel reprocessing wastes for 1000 GWe-yr
of electrical energy production. Using the conversion of 50 to 500 fatal cancers per mil-
lion man-rem, about 2 radiation-related fatalities would be expected for emplacement of
spent fuel; and 4 to 40 from emplacement of fuel reprocessing wastes for 1000 GWe-yr.
Radiation dose to population groups was not significant even in the case of postulated
accidents during repository operation. Hazards to workers from potential operational acci-
dents (canister drop down the mine shaft) were found to be very serious; however, additional
safety features as suggested would reduce the risk substantially. For disruptive events in
the long term the societal risk from wastes disposed of in geologic repositories was found
to be small in comparison to societal risks such as from lightning strikes.
Adverse impacts on the terrestrial and aquatic environments could result from inade-
quate precautions taken for management of mined rock stockpiled on the surface, particularly
in the case of repositories in salt and to a lesser extent in the case of repositories in
shale.
The potential for boom/bust socioeconomic problems was determined to be very high for
sites that may be isolated from needed labor pools. Although highly site specific, plans
to lessen or obviate socioeconomic impacts are likely to be required for the site selection
process.
There will likely be adverse psychological impacts among some members of the public
because of the presence of a repository in their locality. A program to explain the exact
nature of the repository facility and the multiple features present to prevent release of
radioactive materials could lessen the concerns of the local public as long as information
is completely presented and the activities of DOE are open to the scrutiny of local commu-
nity leaders.