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

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6.1.3.1 Concept Summary<br />

6.48<br />

6.1.3 Island Disposal<br />

Island-based disposal would involve the emplacement <strong>of</strong> wastes within deep, stable, geo-<br />

logical formations, much as in the conventional mined geologic disposal concept discussed in<br />

Chapter 5 with an over-water transportation route added. The island would provide port<br />

facilities, access terminals, and a remote repository location with possibly advantageous<br />

hydrogeological conditions. An island disposal facility could also provide an international<br />

repository if the necessary agreements could be obtained.<br />

The island disposal concept has been referred to as an "alternate geologic approach"<br />

(Deutch 1978) in which the geology (i.e., rock, sediments) provides the primary barrier be-<br />

tween the nuclear wastes and the biosphere and the ocean may provide an additional barrier,<br />

depending on the repository location and the hydrological system existing on the island.<br />

The status <strong>of</strong> the concept is uncertain. The U. S. Department <strong>of</strong> Energy Task Force Draft<br />

Report (Deutch 1978) stated that "The Department <strong>of</strong> Energy has no program to actively inves-<br />

tigate the concept. Suggestions for assessment <strong>of</strong> the concept have been made from time to<br />

time by groups considering international aspects <strong>of</strong> radioactive waste repositories. However,<br />

a consensus for the need <strong>of</strong> such repositories has not developed."<br />

On the other hand, the sixth report <strong>of</strong> the U. K. Royal Commission on Environmental Pol-<br />

lution (Flowers 1976) referred to island locations when considering hard rock sites for a<br />

geologic facility. In this report, it was stated that "A deep disposal facility on a small<br />

uninhabited island would be particularly advantageous if one were chosen which was separated<br />

hydrogeologically from the mainland. Any leakage <strong>of</strong> radioactivity into the island's ground<br />

water would be easily detected and in that event the dilution <strong>of</strong> seawater would provide a<br />

further line <strong>of</strong> defense."<br />

No detailed studies <strong>of</strong> the island concept are currently available; therefore, its basic<br />

elements are based on simplified modification and adaptations <strong>of</strong> conventional mined geologic<br />

disposal as discussed in Chapter 5. Since the geology <strong>of</strong> most islands is crystalline rock,<br />

it is the assumed disposal formation. Elements <strong>of</strong> other schemes (e.g., subseabed disposal,<br />

Section 6.1.4) have been incorporated and/or referenced where appropriate. If more detailed<br />

assessments are required in the future, conceptual design studies would have to be performed<br />

to provide a reliable basis for analysis.<br />

6.1.3.2 System and Facility Description<br />

System Options<br />

The reference concept for the initial island disposal <strong>of</strong> nuclear waste has been devel-<br />

oped from a number <strong>of</strong> options available at each step from the reactor to disposal in the is-<br />

land geology.

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