24.2 Current Status of HLW
HLW contains very toxic fission products. Fission products in the spent nuclear
fuels are highly radioactive. Some countries such as Finland, Sweden, and USA
directly dispose spent nuclear fuels as HLW after cooling at spent fuel storage.
According to the conventional nuclear fuel cycle policy, spent nuclear fuels in
Japan are reprocessed for separating fission products from uranium and plutonium,
and the separated fission products are vitrified and then contained in canisters made
of stainless steel. The option of direct disposal of spent nuclear fuels was seriously
discussed in the first time in Japan at the process for formulating the 2005 Framework for Nuclear Energy Policy, and after the Fukushima accident, direct disposal
of the spent fuel is becoming a more realistic option.
Right now, 1,984 HLW canisters (vitrified wastes) are stored in Japan. Among
the 1,984, 1,442 HLW canisters were sent back from France and UK according to
the contracts for the reprocessing commissioned to these countries; the rest are the
HLW canisters produced by domestic reprocessing (295 from the test operation of
the Rokkasho reprocessing plant and 247 from the Tokai pilot reprocessing plant).
An additional 770 HLW canisters will be sent back from the UK, and high-level
liquid waste, which is equivalent to 630 HLW canisters, is stored at the Tokai pilot
plant.
In addition to the HLW canisters produced by reprocessing, about 17,000 t of
spent nuclear fuels is stored at nuclear power plants (about 14,000 t in total) and the
Rokkasho reprocessing plant (around 3,000 t). If all these spent fuels are
reprocessed at the Rokkasho reprocessing plant, about 21,250 HLW canisters
would be added. Thus, even if Japan decided to no longer operate nuclear reactors,
we still must dispose HLW equivalent to 24,634 HLW canisters. We cannot run
away from HLW issues.
24.3 HLW Disposal Program in Japan
Japan’s research and development program for HLW disposal started in 1976
(Fig. 24.1). The first progress report was released in 1992 by PNC (Power Reactor
and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation). PNC was reorganized as JNC (Japan
Nuclear Fuel Cycle Development Institute) in 1998, then merged with JAERI
(Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute) to be JAEA (Japan Atomic Energy
Agency) in 2005).
In 1999, JNC released the second progress report, and more importantly, in 2000
the Specified Radioactive Waste Final Disposal Act (Final Disposal Act, hereinafter) was legislated.
The process for the legislation of the Final Disposal Act is shown in Fig. 24.2. As
shown here, the Special Panel on Disposal of High-Level Radioactive Waste
formed under the Japan Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) played an important
280
K. Yamaji
HLW contains very toxic fission products. Fission products in the spent nuclear
fuels are highly radioactive. Some countries such as Finland, Sweden, and USA
directly dispose spent nuclear fuels as HLW after cooling at spent fuel storage.
According to the conventional nuclear fuel cycle policy, spent nuclear fuels in
Japan are reprocessed for separating fission products from uranium and plutonium,
and the separated fission products are vitrified and then contained in canisters made
of stainless steel. The option of direct disposal of spent nuclear fuels was seriously
discussed in the first time in Japan at the process for formulating the 2005 Framework for Nuclear Energy Policy, and after the Fukushima accident, direct disposal
of the spent fuel is becoming a more realistic option.
Right now, 1,984 HLW canisters (vitrified wastes) are stored in Japan. Among
the 1,984, 1,442 HLW canisters were sent back from France and UK according to
the contracts for the reprocessing commissioned to these countries; the rest are the
HLW canisters produced by domestic reprocessing (295 from the test operation of
the Rokkasho reprocessing plant and 247 from the Tokai pilot reprocessing plant).
An additional 770 HLW canisters will be sent back from the UK, and high-level
liquid waste, which is equivalent to 630 HLW canisters, is stored at the Tokai pilot
plant.
In addition to the HLW canisters produced by reprocessing, about 17,000 t of
spent nuclear fuels is stored at nuclear power plants (about 14,000 t in total) and the
Rokkasho reprocessing plant (around 3,000 t). If all these spent fuels are
reprocessed at the Rokkasho reprocessing plant, about 21,250 HLW canisters
would be added. Thus, even if Japan decided to no longer operate nuclear reactors,
we still must dispose HLW equivalent to 24,634 HLW canisters. We cannot run
away from HLW issues.
24.3 HLW Disposal Program in Japan
Japan’s research and development program for HLW disposal started in 1976
(Fig. 24.1). The first progress report was released in 1992 by PNC (Power Reactor
and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation). PNC was reorganized as JNC (Japan
Nuclear Fuel Cycle Development Institute) in 1998, then merged with JAERI
(Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute) to be JAEA (Japan Atomic Energy
Agency) in 2005).
In 1999, JNC released the second progress report, and more importantly, in 2000
the Specified Radioactive Waste Final Disposal Act (Final Disposal Act, hereinafter) was legislated.
The process for the legislation of the Final Disposal Act is shown in Fig. 24.2. As
shown here, the Special Panel on Disposal of High-Level Radioactive Waste
formed under the Japan Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) played an important
280
K. Yamaji