DISPOSITION OF HIGH-LEVEL WASTE AND SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL -- Acknowledgments -- Preface -- Contents -- Executive Summary -- PRINCIPAL FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS -- PRINCIPAL RECOMMENDATIONS -- 1 Disposition of High-Level Waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel: An Overview of the Societal and Technical Challenges -- QUESTIONS TO BE ADDRESSED IN THIS REPORT -- How Can Safety Be Assured for HLW? -- How Can Safety and Security Against Human Actions Be Assured for HLW? -- What Are the Inherent Limits to Assuring Safety and Security by Geological Repositories or by Surface Storage? -- Why Has There Not Been More Progress Toward Geological Disposal? -- Are There Available Alternatives to Geological Disposition or Surface Storage? -- Do National Programs Have to Choose Now Between Geological Repositories and Surface Storage? -- Are New Initiatives Needed in International Cooperation? -- 2 Principal Findings and Conclusions -- TODAY'S GROWING INVENTORY OF HLW REQUIRES ATTENTION BY NATIONAL DECISION MAKERS -- THE FEASIBLE OPTIONS ARE MONITORED STORAGE ON OR NEAR THE EARTH'S SURFACE AND GEOLOGICAL DISPOSITION -- GEOLOGICAL DISPOSAL REMAINS THE ONLY LONG-TERM SOLUTION AVAILABLE -- GEOLOGICAL DISPOSAL IS SCIENTIFICALLY AND TECHNICALLY SOUND, BUT IMPORTANT CHALLENGES REMAIN -- THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES ARE SOCIETAL -- WHETHER, WHEN, AND HOW TO MOVE TOWARD GEOLOGICAL DISPOSAL ARE SOCIETAL DECISIONS FOR EACH COUNTRY -- A STEPWISE PROCESS IS APPROPRIATE FOR DECISION MAKING UNDER TECHNICAL AND SOCIETAL UNCERTAINTY -- SUCCESSFUL DECISION MAKING IS OPEN, TRANSPARENT, AND BROADLY PARTICIPATORY -- SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM MANAGEMENT IS FLEXIBLE AND ADAPTIVE -- INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION CAN HELP ACHIEVE NATIONAL SOLUTIONS -- 3 Principal Recommendations -- PRINCIPAL RECOMMENDATION 1 -- PRINCIPAL RECOMMENDATION 2 -- PRINCIPAL RECOMMENDATION 3 -- Technical Actions -- Societal Actions.

Common Requirements -- PRINCIPAL RECOMMENDATION 4 -- PRINCIPAL RECOMMENDATION 5 -- CLOSING COMMENTS -- 4 National Programs -- INVENTORIES OF HIGH-LEVEL WASTE AND SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL -- EXAMPLES OF NATIONAL WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS -- Belgium -- Canada -- China -- Finland -- France -- Germany -- Japan -- Netherlands -- Russia -- Spain -- Sweden -- Switzerland -- United Kingdom -- United States -- CONCLUSIONS -- 5 Societal Issues in Radioactive Waste Management -- THE ROOTS OF CONCERN -- A LEGACY OF DISTRUST -- VALUE JUDGMENTS AND ETHICAL ISSUES -- Intragenerational Equity -- Intergenerational Equity -- DISCUSSION: TOWARD AN EQUITABLE SYNTHESIS -- CONCLUSIONS -- RECOMMENDATIONS -- 6 Scientific and Technical Issues in Radioactive Waste Management -- GEOLOGICAL DISPOSAL -- SCIENTIFIC BASIS FOR MODELING -- The Behavior of the Waste Package -- The Behavior of the Host Rock in the Immediate Vicinity of the Waste Package (the "Near-Field") -- Transport of Radionuclides from the Near-Field Environment -- PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY -- DISCUSSION: UNCERTAINTY AND CONFIDENCE BUILDING -- The Scientific and Technical Community -- The Regulators' Dilemma -- The Link Between Scientific and Societal Responsibility -- CONCLUSIONS -- Science, Technology, and Performance Assessment -- Confidence and Trust -- General Conclusions -- 7 Alternatives to Geological Disposition -- SURFACE STORAGE -- SOCIETY'S TWO AVAILABLE DISPOSITION OPTIONS: GEOLOGICAL REPOSITORIES AND SURFACE STORAGE FACILITIES -- ALTERNATIVES TO GEOLOGICAL REPOSITORIES AND SURFACE STORAGE -- Partitioning and Transmutation -- Extraterrestrial Disposal -- Geological Alternatives to Mined Repositories: Subseabed and Deep-Borehole Options -- CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING ALTERNATIVES -- 8 Improving Decision Making and Implementation -- THE NEED FOR A CONSISTENT POLICY THAT ENDURES.

IMPROVING POLICY DECISIONS AND MANAGEMENT IMPLEMENTATION -- SITING: A CRUCIAL ASPECT OF SOCIETAL DECISION MAKING -- Goals and Objectives -- Appropriate Outcomes -- Appropriate Process -- Sweden -- France -- Canada -- Belgium -- Finland -- Summary -- LEARNING WHILE DOING-AND KEEPING OPTIONS OPEN -- 9 International Cooperation -- RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT ISSUES TRANSCEND NATIONAL BOUNDARIES -- SHARING KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, AND COSTS BETWEEN COUNTRIES -- Waste Management Information Is Freely Available -- International Organizations Provide a Framework for Collaboration -- Joint Projects Are the Most Effective Vehicles for Collaboration -- The Role of Commercial Consulting as a Know-How Transfer Mechanism -- Some Problems Can Arise During Cooperation- But the Benefits Outweigh These -- COLLABORATION THROUGH USE OF COMMON WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITIES -- Transboundary Shipments for Treatment or Storage of Wastes Are Difficult -- International Repositories-A Global Issue -- Long-Term Safety -- Nuclear Security -- Economic Issues -- Public Acceptability -- Political Issues -- CONCLUSIONS -- International Cooperation -- International Repositories -- References -- Appendix A Biographical Sketches of Committee Members -- Appendix B Workshop Program -- WORKSHOP FINAL AGENDA -- Appendix C List of Attendees -- Appendix D Acronyms.