Waste management strategies and disposal concepts for spent nuclear fuel around the world

Gowthaman Sinnathamby, Leena Korkiala-Tanttu, Henry Gustavsson

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference article in proceedingsScientificpeer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The final safe disposal of spent nuclear fuel is one of the major challenges of our time. Nuclear powered nations are actively developing long-term waste management strategies and disposal concepts for their spent nuclear fuel, and high-level waste resulting from reprocessing. Direct disposal and reprocessing are the waste management strategies currently being adopted by countries around the world. In November 2015, the Finnish government granted the construction license to build a permanent deeprock
geological repository for the final safe disposal of spent nuclear fuel in Finland; the first of its kind. Of other countries that have embraced the direct disposal concept, only Sweden and France have made significant progress in site selection and the development of their own disposal concepts. Canada and the UK have invited communities to volunteer to host a geological repository before the final screening of site selection process. Many other countries are in the preliminary stages of developing their own waste
management strategies and disposal concepts while a few large nuclear nations such as Germany and the USA are facing political and societal opposition on their adopted waste management strategies. This paper compiles information on the long-term disposal strategies of spent nuclear fuel that are adopted or being considered as potential strategies worldwide.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 19th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering
PublisherInternational Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ICSMGE)
Pages3405-3408
Number of pages4
ISBN (Electronic)978-89-952197-5-1
Publication statusPublished - 19 Sept 2017
MoE publication typeA4 Conference publication
EventInternational Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering - Seoul, Korea, Republic of
Duration: 17 Sept 201722 Sept 2017
Conference number: 19

Conference

ConferenceInternational Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering
Abbreviated titleICSMGE
Country/TerritoryKorea, Republic of
CitySeoul
Period17/09/201722/09/2017

Keywords

  • KBS-3V
  • Nuclear waste
  • waste management
  • geological repository
  • direct disposal

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