The Cost Implications of Large Shielded Transport Packages for Radioactive Waste

Abstract

Total costs have been estimated, at 1990 prices, for the packaging, transport and disposal of intermediate level radioactive waste. The study covered three generic types of large package with several scenarios of interim storage and rock type at the disposal site. The concept which uses returnable shielding is calculated to be the cheapest, although the choice between self-shielded and returnable shielded concepts has less influence on cost than the repository rock type. The high projected cost of disposal is likely to have a profound effect on the volume of intermediate waste, encouraging the development of volume reduction processes. Such changes will narrow the cost differences between packages. However, the returnable shielded design is sufficiently adaptable to enable enhancement in performance for very little extra cost. It is also relatively insensitive to variations in disposal cost.