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Nuclear Waste: Management, Storage and Disposal

2020

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Synopsis

"Nuclear Waste: Management, Storage and Disposal," edited by Samuli Tikkanen, provides a comprehensive examination of the challenges and strategies associated with handling high-level nuclear waste in the United States. The book begins by exploring the management of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from commercial nuclear power plants and other high-level wastes (HLW) resulting from Cold War–era nuclear weapons production. It delves into concerns related to the storage of nuclear waste and emphasizes the pressing need for long-term solutions to ensure environmental safety and public health.

A significant portion of the text is dedicated to discussing the concept of a permanent geologic repository for the disposal of commercial SNF and other HLW. This involves analyzing the feasibility and safety of deep geological repositories, which are designed to isolate radioactive waste deep underground to prevent contamination. The book also includes a draft of a legislative bill aimed at reforming the nation's nuclear waste management policy, highlighting the absence of a permanent disposal facility in the U.S. and proposing critical reforms to address this gap.

Further, the book reviews the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (NWPA), which mandates the disposal of spent nuclear fuel in deep geologic repositories. It examines the progress and challenges in implementing this policy over the years. Additionally, the text scrutinizes the Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management (EM) and its management of the Integrated Waste Treatment Unit. It assesses how well EM's practices align with established project management best practices and identifies challenges faced in treating and disposing of specific types of waste, such as sodium-bearing waste and calcine waste, at the Idaho National Laboratory.

Overall, Tikkanen's compilation offers an in-depth analysis of the multifaceted issues surrounding nuclear waste management in the United States, combining legislative, technical, and policy perspectives to provide a holistic understanding of the subject.

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