Geodisposal of higher activity wastes

In the UK, there is a nuclear waste legacy associated with over 50 years of nuclear power generation that is currently stored at the Earth's surface. This is a global phenomenon in which many nations are now facing up to the radioactive waste legacy of several decades of nuclear power generation. As society considers new nuclear power as a low carbon, secure source of energy, it is apparent that geological disposal of higher activity radioactive wastes is now the favoured route for management of this highly radioactive legacy material. Timely implementation of geological disposal is therefore a current challenge facing the UK and other nuclear nations if we are to demonstrate safe management of these materials for future generations. In this chapter, we review the type and characteristics of the higher activity wastes that the UK needs to dispose of; examine the concept of a geological disposal facility in the context of UK and international experience; and discuss the proposed implementation pathway for UK higher activity waste geodisposal in the context of our large and complex nuclear legacy. Finally, we discuss the environmental chemistry research challenges that we see as vital to the safe management and disposal of these legacy radioactive wastes.