Waste-acceptance criteria and risk-based thinking for radioactive-waste classification

摘要

The US system of radioactive-waste classification and its development provide a reference point for the discussion of risk-based thinking in waste classification. The official US system is described and waste-acceptance criteria for disposal sites are introduced because they constitute a form of de facto waste classification. Risk-based classification is explored and it is found that a truly risk- based system is context-dependent: risk depends not only on the waste-management activity but, for some activities such as dis- posal, it depends on the specific physical context.