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East USA

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USA

Waste Management Concept for High-level Radioactive Waste:

For the time being, spent fuel elements are intermediately stored in reactor basins. Interim disposal facilities are available in the proximity of half of the reactors.  For the future expansion of storage capacities, dry storage in boxes is preferred. In the long run, high-level radioactive waste is planning to be stored in deep geological formations. the future final disposal facility is envisioned to remain open for 100 years. At the moment, no civil reprocessing is planned but is increasingly being discussed.

Final Disposal Situation for High-level Radioactive Waste:

In 1987, Yucca Mountain had been named as the site for high-level radioactive waste, which has been developed. However, the US government decided in spring 2010 to abandon the project. Now the quest for a final disposal site has recommenced.

Problems:

Four final disposal facilities for low- and medium-level radioactive waste had to be decommissioned as environmental standards had not been complied with. The quest for a final storage site for high-level radioactive waste must start again so that a very long period of interim storage can be assured.