Why Geologic Storage Can Not Solve The High-Level Radioactive Waste Problem

1. Why Geologic StorageCan Not Solve TheHigh-Level RadioactiveWaste Problem by Dr. Gordon Edwards, President, CCNR, Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility www.ccnr.orgccnr@web.ca (514) 839 7214

2. IRRADIATED NUCLEAR FUEL ACCUMULATION WITHOUT GEOLOGIC DISPOSAL HELLO ROBERT ONE REACTOR HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT AFTER 2 YEARS HELLO ROBERT Each dot represents one year’s production of nuclear waste

3. IRRADIATED NUCLEAR FUEL ACCUMULATION WITHOUT GEOLOGIC DISPOSAL HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT AFTER 4 YEARS HELLO ROBERT

4. IRRADIATED NUCLEAR FUEL ACCUMULATION WITHOUT GEOLOGIC DISPOSAL HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT AFTER 8 YEARS HELLO ROBERT For the first 10 years, irradiated fuel is too hot to move. It must be stored on site and cooled in pools with circulating water.

5. IRRADIATED NUCLEAR FUEL ACCUMULATION WITHOUT GEOLOGIC DISPOSAL HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT AFTER 16 YEARS HELLO ROBERT The changing colour indicates reduced radioactivity & heat output.

6. IRRADIATED NUCLEAR FUEL ACCUMULATION WITHOUT GEOLOGIC DISPOSAL HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT AFTER 32 YEARS HELLO ROBERT The older irradiated fuel can be moved into dry storage containers.

7. IRRADIATED NUCLEAR FUEL ACCUMULATION WITHOUT GEOLOGIC DISPOSAL HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT AFTER 40 YEARS HELLO ROBERT But having all this radioactive waste on the surface is a hazard. We need to find an acceptable solution to eliminate the risk . . . .

8. AND NOW . . . WITH GEOLOGIC DISPOSAL HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT According to the nuclear industry and the Harper government the solution is at hand: it is Deep Geologic Storage

9. AND NOW . . . WITH GEOLOGIC DISPOSAL HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT AFTER 2 YEARS HELLO ROBERT But for the first 10 years irradiated fuel is too hot. It cannot be moved away from the reactor site.

10. WITH GEOLOGIC DISPOSAL HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT AFTER 4 YEARS HELLO ROBERT So the most radioactive and hottest fuel cannot be moved.

11. WITH GEOLOGIC DISPOSAL HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT AFTER 8 YEARS HELLO ROBERT As long as the reactor keeps operating, the problem remains.

12. WITH GEOLOGIC DISPOSAL HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT AFTER 16 YEARS HELLO ROBERT Irradiated fuel continues to accumulate at the reactor site.

13. WITH GEOLOGIC DISPOSAL HELLO ROBERT . AFTER 16 YEARS THIS PORTION IS BURIED -- HOORAY ! Only the older, less radioactive, less volatile wastes can be buried.

14. WITH GEOLOGIC DISPOSAL HELLO ROBERT > 90 % < 10 % . AFTER 32 YEARS In fact, over 90 % of the total radioactive inventory is in the first ten year’s worth of irradiated fuel. So less than 10 % is buried.

15. WITH GEOLOGIC DISPOSAL HELLO ROBERT > 90 % < 10 % . AFTER 40 YEARS Conclusion: The Catastrophe Potential at the Surface Still Remains (Unless the reactor is shut down for 10 years and all the waste is buried)

16. WITH GEOLOGIC DISPOSAL HELLO ROBERT HELLO ROBERT > 90 % < 10 % . HELLO ROBERT “TIME FOR A NUCLEAR RENAISSANCE ! MORE REACTORS, PLEASE !” HELLO ROBERT But the nuclear industry doesn’t want to shut reactors down. It wants to build more. With 2 reactors, the problem is doubled.

17. WITH GEOLOGIC DISPOSAL HELLO ROBERT > 90 % < 10 % . . . . . HELLO ROBERT WITH 4 REACTORS With 4 reactors, the unburied radioactivity is more than 3.5 times the radioactivity produced by one reactor without any burial at all!

18. WITH GEOLOGIC DISPOSAL > 90 % < 10 % . . . . .. . . WITH 6 REACTORS

19. WITH GEOLOGIC DISPOSAL > 90 % < 10 % . . . . .. . . . . . WITH 8 REACTORS

20. WITH GEOLOGIC DISPOSAL > 90 % < 10 % . . . . .. . . . . . . . . So: WE HAVE AN EVER- GROWING INVENTORY OF UNBURIED WASTE!

21. The Moral of the Story is: Geologic StorageCAN NOT Solve TheHigh-Level RadioactiveWaste Problem . . .. . . unless there is a complete phaseout of nuclear power