Toward a viable nuclear waste disposal program

The essay deals with the lack of a suitable permanent storage site for the radioactive waste that has been produced by more than 103 open-cycle nuclear reactors in the U.S. The DOE has recently withdrawn the licensing application for the Yucca Mountain Repository leaving the nuclear industry responsible for the safety of more than 800 waste-containing concrete casks currently on the open surface at 34 sites. It also has not undertaken measures to reduce the volume of additional waste produced by both existing and newly planned reactors. The DOE has instead opted to undertake research to develop new cycles that "burn" the radioactive waste. This policy appears subordinated to obvious political pressures. It is short sighted in terms of a practical program to serve the interests of the clean and safe energy requirements of the country. The essay also describes technical initiatives and processes that are recommended for a better solution.