Disposal of long-lived radioactive waste in the USA - Safe management of defense-generated waste

In the United States, radioactive waste has arisen in the military as well as the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The long-lived military waste contains high percentages of alpha-emitting transuranium isotopes. In 1979, Congress decided on a site in the State of New Mexico for building the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in which R&D work was to be conducted in preparation of a repository. In 1992, the US Congress installed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as regulation for WIPP. In December 1993, the Department of Energy (DOE) set up the Carlsbad Area Office. According to estimates of June 1996, 58,000 m(3) of waste containing transuranium elements (TRUW), with a surface dose below 2 mSv/h, is located at twenty generator sites, while eight of these sites hold 3600 m(3) with lip to 10 Sv/h. By the year 2022, another 54,000 m(3) (< 2 mSv/h) and 24,000 m(3) (< 10 Sv/h) are going to arise. The total volume of TRUW will rise to 139,600 m(3). In addition, another 88,000 m(3) is expected to come from decommissioning and site decontamination. WIPP can accommodate a maximum of 175,584 m(3). The repository was built in rock salt at a depth of 650 m.