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Geological disposal of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel: a long-term solution for nuclear waste management
Biraj Kumer Sarker1, Sabrina Sultana Snigdha2, Elias Ahmed2
1Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguard Division, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA), Dhaka, Bangladesh. sarker@baera.gov.bd.
Abstract:
Hazardous waste containing radioactive materials is known as radioactive waste (RW). Spent nuclear fuel (SNF) which is nuclear fuel that has been permanently removed from a nuclear reactor's core after irradiation and will not be used in a nuclear power plant without undergoing reprocessing, is also extremely radioactive. Radioactive waste originates from the production of nuclear power and the application of radioactive substances in medicine, industry, agriculture, research, and education. The need to safely manage the radioactive wastes for human health and environmental protection has been realized already long time ago and much experience in this kind has been accumulated. Safe and effective disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) and spent nuclear fuel (SNF) is a challenging problem for the nuclear industry. Since these materials remain hazardous for ages ranging from thousands to millions of years, there is a need for finding technically, scientifically, and socially advanced and also socially accepted solutions. Most feasible long-term approach is geological disposal in which waste is isolated deep underground in stable geological formations. Technical, social, and environmental aspects of geological disposal such as multi-barrier system, site selection criteria, and safety considerations are thoroughly investigated in this paper. The development of deep geological repositories (DGRs) around the world is examined with an emphasis on successful case studies and the difficulties that current projects face. Challenges and controversies and the aim of deep geological disposal are also thoroughly analyzed.
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