Using Geographic Information Systems to Determine Site Suitability for a Low-Level Radioactive Waste Storage...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Nuclear Waste Management

Background:

• Radioactive waste, particularly low-level radioactive waste (LLW), is an unavoidable byproduct of various industries and activities.
• Disposal options for LLW in the United States are limited, despite efforts to expand them.
• There is a need for efficient methods to identify and communicate potential LLW disposal sites to the public.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and assess a GIS-based method for determining the suitability of potential LLW disposal sites.
• To create a system that can be easily communicated to the public.
• To identify suitable areas for further evaluation as prospective LLW disposal sites in Louisiana.

Main Methods:

• A GIS-based suitability formula was developed using criteria from the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and regulatory guides.
• Suitability criteria were weighted and normalized, and data were compiled into GIS datasets covering 181,300 square kilometers.
• The method analyzed approximately 14,000 cells using multiple criteria, sub-criteria, and surrogate data where necessary.

Main Results:

• The GIS-based method successfully identified areas suitable for further evaluation as LLW disposal sites.
• Cells with suitability above 90%, 95%, and 99% included 404, 88, and 4 cells, respectively.
• The method proved sufficient for initial screening, highlighting areas for subsequent on-site analysis.

Conclusions:

• The developed GIS-based method is an easy, economic, efficient, and effective tool for evaluating potential LLW storage sites.
• This approach can help alleviate challenges associated with limited LLW disposal options.
• The identified suitable areas provide a basis for the next steps in siting LLW storage facilities.