The Great State of Uncertainty In Low-Level Waste Disposal

Faced with a 1986 deadline for completing their low-level radioactive waste disposal plans, individual states are forming regional compacts to share responsibility. Four compacts involving 24 states are ready for Congressional approval, while the other compacts have yet to receive state ratification. Five states have not yet arranged interstate alignment, and their plans for low-level waste disposal remain uncertain. Texas chose to act alone, and has begun a site selection process. Utilities are not actively involved in the compact negotiations or the site selection process, although the outcome will directly affect future disposal costs and related technological choices. The options for volume reduction include evaporation, supercompaction and incineration. A computer code (VRTECH) analyzes technologies and economic factors for utilities. 5 references, 5 figures.