Nuclear fuel waste disposal - status of the Canadian program

Canada has sufficient uranium reserves to fuel its nuclear power program well into the next century. To ensure a long-term future, the prospects of using the thorium cycle in Canada's reactors are being examined. Pending a decision on fuel recycling, two options for the management of nuclear fuel wastes are being studied: disposal of intact used fuel bundles or disposal of the wastes that would result from reprocessing. The research, development and demonstration program has three stages - concept assessment, site selection and the construction and operation of a demonstration disposal facility. These are discussed in the paper, along with the major program elements of environmental and safety assessment, geotechnical research, and immobilization studies. 38 refs.