The memo – linked here – outlines the host of difficult to manage nuclear waste forms that would have to go back to Germany in case a loophole is allowed in Germany’s nuclear waste management legislation for export spent fuel for conditioning, with return of by-product waste to Germany, such as:
* 2320+ cubic meters low-level nuclear waste (LLW);
* 15-101 canisters vitrified high-level nuclear waste (HLW);
* Up to 280,000 liters liquid low-level nuclear waste;
* 3,700,000+ liters of “grouted” waste (mixed with concrete);
* Up to 2,800,000 liters liquid nonhazardous waste;
* Ingots of separated, contaminated low-enriched uranium (LEU)/thorium;
* LEU downblended from separated highly enriched uranium (HEU);
* Other liquid and solid waste materials;
* Contaminated equipment;
* 451 CASTOR casks.
(— from US DOE’s Draft Environmental Assessment on the “ACCEPTANCE AND DISPOSITION OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL CONTAINING U.S.-ORIGIN HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY,” DOE/EA-1977, January 2016, linked here)
Packaging of the above wastes, by-products of reprocessing the AVR & THTR spent fuel, will pose problems and increase worker exposure and transportation risks. Given a possible significant change in the “export to the US” proposal, a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be needed.
We realize that some in favor of the dumping of the AVR and THTR spent fuel at SRS may be up to some tricks by trying to create a loophole for the export of the material. They are facing significant push-back.
Blog by Bundestag member Hubertus Zdebel, 6 March, about the SRS Watch memo and the nuclear waste issue before the Bundestag:
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SRS Watch memo to Umweltausschuss des Bundestags linked here
Coverage of the SRS Watch memo in the German media – Neues Deutschland, March 8, 2017 – article linked here:
Keiner will den Atommüll Endlagersuchgesetz kommt in den Bundestag / Umweltschützer fordern mehr Transparenz
Bundestag member Hubertus Zdebel met with SRS Watch director Tom Clements, in the Bundestag, September 2014, after meetings on the dumping-for-profit scheme