geologic disposal

Geologic disposal is a method for the permanent disposal of nuclear waste, where conditioned radioactive wastes are deposited in mined cavities deep underground. This involves sinking shafts into solid rock, creating horizontal corridors and lateral tunnel rooms. Waste would be placed in holes drilled into the floors of these rooms, which would then be sealed. The entire operation, including backfilling and sealing shafts, could take approximately 30 years.1

While many countries are researching technologies and locations for disposal sites, no permanent disposal site is currently in use worldwide. Pending their construction, spent fuel and processed waste are stored in cooling pools or aboveground casks. The primary concern with geologic disposal is ensuring tight retention of waste for the first thousand years due to its intense radioactivity, and then ensuring slow and minimal release thereafter. Risks are considered small, especially compared to other aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle, but careful site selection in tectonically inactive zones, deep underground, and away from populated areas is crucial.12