The solutions exist and the USA has been aware of those solutions since they invented nuclear power in the 50’s. Unfortunately Capitalism doesn’t allow long-term planning so almost every time a long-term storage solution has been proposed, or ever funded, a few elections later it get’s defunded to the praised of misguided environmentalists and the green-washing fossil fuel lobby.
Yea Yucca mountain is a sad tale. A lack of community engagement and politics ruined what was other wise a geotechnically sound design. Having a national repository for a nation as large as the US might be impractical in retrospect especially involving interstate rail transport. I think local containment of waste is key to reduce shipping costs and trailing the waste through developed areas. That requires planning a nuclear site near a geological repository which might not be part of design plans.
Also that NM repository I haven’t heard of, will be reading more
The solutions exist and the USA has been aware of those solutions since they invented nuclear power in the 50’s. Unfortunately Capitalism doesn’t allow long-term planning so almost every time a long-term storage solution has been proposed, or ever funded, a few elections later it get’s defunded to the praised of misguided environmentalists and the green-washing fossil fuel lobby.
The one I know about the most was Yucca Mountain which got defunded. But at least WiPP is back open. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waste_Isolation_Pilot_Plant
Yea Yucca mountain is a sad tale. A lack of community engagement and politics ruined what was other wise a geotechnically sound design. Having a national repository for a nation as large as the US might be impractical in retrospect especially involving interstate rail transport. I think local containment of waste is key to reduce shipping costs and trailing the waste through developed areas. That requires planning a nuclear site near a geological repository which might not be part of design plans.
Also that NM repository I haven’t heard of, will be reading more