ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the time dimension in nuclear waste disposal, with the hope of untangling future land use issues for a full range of radioactive waste facilities. It discusses knowledge on time frames for performance assessments of repositories and long term control strategies. The chapter presents the contrasting perspectives of different stakeholders, along with real world experience with high level wastes (HLW) storage and low level wastes (LLW) disposal facilities. In 1987 the nuclear regulatory commission issued a proposed rule that would remove from HLW classification wastes that are either “highly radioactive” or “in need of permanent isolation”, but not both. Present nuclear waste management plans are creating a US landscape burdened with permanent disposal facilities designed according to quite temporary objectives. Retrievability at waste isolation pilot plant is essentially the same as that being planned for the HLW repository: near term retrieval capabilities will be followed by permanent site closure and sealing of all rooms, shafts, and boreholes.
