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

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Other possible land impacts considered in the reference study include accidental spills
of fuel and the probability of fuel bladders rupturing during drop-offs. Rupture of the fuel
bladders is considered to be a high risk because the fuel is capable of penetrating the snow
and could reach the underlying ice where it would remain until evaporated or eventually
buried by additional snow. Accidental spills could reach the ocean if the incident occurred
near the edge of the ice sheet.
Socioeconomic Impacts
Socioeconomic impacts for the ice sheet disposal option would be similar to those for the
island and subseabed disposal options. Because these options are still at the concept level,
however, detailed socioeconomic assessments are not possible. In general, socioeconomic
impacts would be experienced where handling facilities are constructed and operated.
Impacts that might be expected where handling facilities would be constructed include
disruptions or dislocations of residences or businesses; physical or public-access impacts on
historic, cultural, and natural features; impacts on public services such as education, util-
ities, road systems, recreation, and health and safety; increased tax revenues in jurisdic-
tions where facilities would be located; increased local expenditures for services and
materials; and social stresses.
The operating work force required for a dock facility would likely be comparable to that
for any moderate-size manufacturing facility and impacts would vary with location. Impacts
would be primarily in housing, education, and transportation, with no significant impacts on
municipal services. Impact costs would presumably be offset by revenues, but socioeconomic
considerations at this stage are not easily quantified.
Aesthetic Impacts
Aesthetic impacts are expected to be insignificant because of the remoteness of the area
and the lack of permanent residence population (EPA 1979).
Aesthetic impacts for the ocean transportation activities and embarkation facilities
would be very limited and similar to those of subseabed disposal. The waste packaging and
transportation activities that would be a part of the ice sheet disposal process would have
aesthetic impacts similar to those of mined geologic repositories. Noise, fugitive emis-
sions, and the appearance of facilities and equipment used to prepare and transport the waste
material are common to a number of disposal options. These impacts are generally reviewed in
Chapter 4.
Resource Consumption
Predisposal activities would include packaging and transportation of spent fuel to sea-
ports for shipment to the receiving port at the ice sheet, if spent fuel were disposed of
rather than reprocessed waste. If reprocessing of spent fuel were undertaken, then predis-
posal activities would also include conversion of the waste to a high-integrity form, like