Generating Alternatives for Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Systems

The safe disposal of radioactive wastes is a complicated public sector problem. More stringent regulations and increasing public concerns exacerbate the seriousness of the radioactive waste management problem. Traditional methods of treatment and disposal often fall short of being cost-effective and simplistic in design. An increased awareness of environmental issues and energy conservation necessitates a safe, cost-effective alternative to conventional methods. The chosen alternative must consider important factors such as environmental impact, ease of operation, resource recovery, energy efficiency and site-specific factors that relegate the final design. The objective of this study was the development of a useful modeling-to-generate-alternative (MGA) method for the generation of preliminary designs of low-level radioactive waste (LLW) management systems that would provide more insight to decision makers than conventional approaches. The MGA method utilizes an optimization model and a search technique to produce a set of costeffective LLW treatment and disposal alternatives. Data and information gathered on LLW processing, treatment and disposal were compiled and used to illustrate how the method can be employed. The resulting flowcharts indicate that various cost-effective alternatives utilizing different treatment and disposal methods can be generated efficiently.