The disposition of radioactive waste impacts directly on the sustainability of nuclear power.  At present, a wide range of solids have been investigated for their capacity to immobilise high-level nuclear waste derived from nuclear power plants or nuclear weapons production.  While borosilicate glasses are appropriate to deal with a large fraction of such waste, there exist a wide range of wastes that are problematic for glass on the grounds of waste loadings and glass melting temperatures.  For such wastes, it is argued that various full ceramics and glass-ceramics are eminently appropriate and that the processing technologies are well developed, if not quite as advanced as for borosilicate glass production.  Uncertainties in predictions of radionuclide transport to the biosphere, arising from uncertainties in the long-term behaviour of the waste forms and the ultimate repositories are discussed.  The advantages of extended above-ground storage of processed waste forms are put forward.

Development of solid waste forms for high- and intermediate-level nuclear waste

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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