National briefing summaries: Nuclear fuel cycle and waste management

Abstract

Transuranic (or Alpha) Wastes: These are non-high-level w.:1stes that contain significant amounts of long-lived, alpha-emitting radionuclides. The wastes require long-term isolation from the biosphere.Other groupings of wastes include: Gaseous Wastes: These wastes include gaseous radionuclides and/or radionuclides as aerosols that are removed from gaseous waste streams. They generally fall into the low-level waste category, but some can be categorized as intermediate-level wastes. The wastes arise primarily from fuel reprocessing and from reactor operations and waste processing facilities. Typical radionuclides include hydrogen-3, carbon-14, iodine-129. Uranium or Thorium Mine and Mill Tailings: These wastes consist of large volumes of ore materials that result from mining (untreated rock) or milling ~treated rock) of ores. The wastes contain only naturally occurring radionuclides (e.g., uranium isotopes and uranium decay chain isotopes).Decommissioning Wastes: These wastes result from decommissioning of nuclear reactors and nuclear fuel cycle facilities. These wastes are generally largu in volume, and most of them are low-level or intermediate-level. although a small amount are ::ontaminated with transuranic radionuclides. NUCLEAR POWERAt the end of 1990, there were 420 nuclear power reactors in operation in 25 countries around the world (including countries with centrally planned economies), with a total net capacity of about 323 GWe (NW 3/14/91). In the countries with nuclear power that are discussed in this document, nuclear power supplied as little as 0.2% of the total electricity consumed in 1989 in Pakistan to as much as 74.6% in France. And because all of Italy's reactors have been shut down, nuclear power supplied 0% of its total electricity. Most of the nuclear power reactors in the world are light water reactors (LWRs), with the majority of these being pressurized water reactors (PWRs), and a significant fraction being boiling water reactors (BWRs). Other significant power reactor types are gas-coc:Jied reactors and pressurized heavy water reactors. Nine small fast-breeder reactors are also producin!J power (NEI 6/90).A summary of projections of net nuclear power plant capacity in the world, including countries that currently do not have nuclear power but are planning for it, is •Jiven in Table 1. By 1995, nucleargenerated electricity is projected to increase by about 1 0%; by 2000, by about 20%, and by 2005, by about 28% (relative to 1990 capacity) (NUKEM 2/91; NEI 6/90). The worldwide growth rate of nuclear power has slowed down significantly in the past five years. Nuclear power is projected to grow at a slower rate in the near future, but it is expected to continue to grow at a steady rate in the early 2000s.The amount of nuclear power in the United States and in a few oth•:!r western countries is currently projected to decline at about the time period of 2000 to 2005, but will continue to rise in many other countries, particularly in the Far East and in countries with centrally planned economies.

Low-level radioactive waste disposal technologies used outside the United States

“…In Canada, LLW is defined as all radioactive waste except spent fuel from nuclear reactors and uranium mine residues. LLW is divided into three classes according to its half-life: (Class I) low radionuclide concentrations with a half-life of 150 years, (Class 11) waste with a half-life up to 500 years, and (Class 111) long-lived radionuclides (half-life greater than 500 years) (Schneider 1991).…”

“…The National Authority of Environmental Protection is responsible for supervising LLW disposal activities (Ziqiang 1993). LLW is defined in China as waste having radioactivity between one hundred millionth to one hundred thousandth of a curie in a liter of LLW (Schneider 1991).…”

“…The waste will be covered with dehydrating additives and cement. Once full, each silo will be covered with 1 meter of clay, a concrete cap, and then 7 meters of soil (Schneider 1991).…”

“…Radioactive waste in France is classified into three categories: A, B, and C. Category A is most like the United States' definition of LLW; it includes short-lived waste of low-and intermediate-level radioactivity with half-lives primarily less than 30 years (Schneider 1991). The past P practice of disposal for France's Category A waste was dumping in the north Atlantic ocean, which was discontinued in 1969.…”

“…A layer of impervious clay and topsoil covered the mound, which was then seeded with grass, creating a mound about 10 meters high. The disposal practice is often referred to as the ''turn~lus'~ concept (Schneider 1991). The La Manche facility was completely 5 filled in 1992; control will be maintained for a period of 300 years.…”