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Final thoughts: The fragile connection of safety and science in the geological disposal of radioactive waste

By Rodney C. Ewing, Bernd Grambow | January 13, 2025

A tunnel at the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository in Nevada. Note the sign. Image courtesy of US Department of Energy

Final thoughts: The fragile connection of safety and science in the geological disposal of radioactive waste

By Rodney C. Ewing, Bernd Grambow | January 13, 2025

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References

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Diaz-Maurin, F., and Ewing, R.C. (2018). Mission Impossible? Socio-Technical Integration of Nuclear Waste Geological Disposal Systems. Sustainability, 10(12), 4390. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10124390

Grambow, B. (2006). Nuclear waste glasses – How durable? Elements, 2, 357-364. https://doi.org/10.2113/gselements.2.6.357

Grambow, B. (2023). “UMAN – Uncertainties relevant to the safety case.” Deliverable D10.5 of the Horizon 2020 project European Joint Programme on Radioactive Waste Management (EURAD). EC Grant agreement no: 847593, p. 28. https://www.ejp-eurad.eu/sites/default/files/2023-07/EURAD%20-%20D10.5%20UMAN%20-%20Uncertainties%20relevant%20to%20the%20safety%20case.pdf

Grambow, B., and Ewing, R.C. (2022). “Safety and Science: The Fragile Connection.” Abstract volume of 3rd Conference on Key Topics of Deep Geological Disposal, Cologne, Germany, July 5th, 2022. Abstract S9-06, 84-85. https://www.daef2022.org/assets/abstractband_daef_2022_24062022.pdf

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Lemmens, K., Cachoir, C., and Mennecart, T. (2019). “Dissolution behaviour of spent nuclear fuel at highly alkaline conditions.” Phenomenological Synthesis Report SCK•CEN/27622175. https://researchportal.sckcen.be/files/4913786/Dissolution_behaviour_of_spent_nuclear_fuel_at_highly_alkaline_conditions.pdf

Lemmens, K., González-Robles, E., Kienzler, B., Curti, E., Serrano-Purroy, D., Sureda, R., Martínez-Torrents, A., Roth, O., Slonszki, E., Mennecart, T., and Günther-Leopold, I. (2017). Instant release of fission products in leaching experiments with high burn-up nuclear fuels in the framework of the Euratom project FIRST-Nuclides. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 484, 307-323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2016.10.048

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Roy, R. (1979). Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management, Vol. 1. Plenum Press, New York.

Tufekci, Z. (2024). “You Don’t Need to Freak Out About Boeing Planes (but Boeing Sure Does).” The New York Times, March 31. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/31/opinion/boeing-plane-safety.html

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