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

6.61
Quantitative estimates of these impacts for the island disposal concept are unavailable
at this time. However, it is expected that they would be similar to, but probably less sig-
nificant than, those from a mined geologic repository. The reasons for the probable less-
ened impact are that (1) seabed sediments might provide significant sorption of certain
radionuclides, (2) the sea would provide substantial dilution of discharges from the ground
water, and (3) the island population, which would bear the greatest impacts, would be ex-
pected to be small in the long term because of the remoteness, size, and limited potential
for inhabitation of any island that would be selected.
6.1.3.6 Cost Analysis
Detailed costs for island repository construction, operation, and decommissioning have
not been estimated. It is estimated, however, that the cost of an island repository would be
at least double that for a continental mined geologic repository because of sea transporta-
tion, the associated loading and unloading facilities, and the high salaries necessary for
remote 1ocations.
6.1.3.7 Safeguard Requirements
With the exception of ocean transportation, safeguard requirements for this concept would
be expected to be similar to those for the mined geologic repository concept. However, the
risk of diversion for the island disposal concept is primarily a short-term concern because
of the remoteness of the disposal site and the major operational and equipment requirements
for retrieval. Physical protection of the sensitive facilities and transportation operations
would be the most effective way to deny access to the waste for the short term. For addi-
tional discussion of predisposal operations safeguards see Section 4.10.