543 



will be received. Two developments at the IAEA may result in creating 

 a more favorable climate for sub-seabed disposal. First, IAEA has, upon 

 U.S. lead, adopted recommendations applicable to the dianping of non-HLW 

 that encourage an "isolation and containment" rather than "dispersal and 

 dilution" strategy for dumped wastes. In connection with such a stra- 

 tegy, IAEA has recommended consideration, in diomping non-HLW, of several 

 factors that would also be relevant in case a sub-seabed disposal option 

 were chosen for HLW, including the physical properties at the dumping site, 

 pathways through which wastes might be transmitted beyond the disposal 



site, the characteristics of the container and matrix, and geological 



18 

 characteristics of the site. IAEA has also recommended a cessation of 



dumping of liquid or unpackaged radioactive waste into surface and shallow 

 waters, as well as a prohibition on the dumping of unpackaged liquid radio- 

 active waste into the deep sea unless the liquid waste is incorporated 



19 

 into an insoluble matrix. 



Second, consultants to IAEA have recommended that the distinction 



between HLW and non-HLW be eliminated and that only release rate should be 



considered in any regulatory regime. The consultants' report states: 



2. The initial concentrations of radioactivity in wastes 

 dumped into the deep oceans are unlikely to be important 

 in determining the subsequent hazards to man, although 

 the total radioactivity in a canister may need to be 

 limited for operational reasons. 



3. The hazards to man and the ecosystem are largely deter- 

 mined by the rates of release of radioactivity to the 

 oceans and it is these which should be controlled. We 

 have not been able to establish on radiological grounds 

 any upper limit to the initial concentration of radio- 

 activity in wastes destined for deep ocean disposal. 



4. We conclude therefore that there are no high level 

 wastes that are intrinsically unsuitable for dumping 

 at sea but that quantities dumped should be strictly 

 controlled on the basis of release rate limits. 



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