Groundwater Contamination (1984) / Chapter Skim
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5. Deep Burial of Toxic Wastes
5. Deep Burial of Toxic Wastes
Pages 78-90
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From page 78... ...
Humans have produced toxic wastes since before recorded history. At least four factors, however, have made the problem of toxic waste disposal far more acute within the past 100 yr than at any previous period.
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From page 79... ...
Although the broad topic of the disposal of radioactive waste is not treated in detail, the similarity of the programs of disposing of transuranic and some low-level radioactive material to problems of hazardous chemical wastes makes it convenient to combine all hazardous chemical and radioactive wastes in the discussion. 79 METHODS OF DISPOSAL A large number of methods of disposing of toxic wastes exist.
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From page 80... ...
From the standpoint of scientific factors, no general reason exists that properly packaged chemical wastes, particularly if they are in solid form, could not be placed in the same repository with transuranic and low-level radioactive wastes. In the United States, however, institutional arrangements for the supervision and control of hazardous chemical wastes are generally separated from radioactive wastes.
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From page 81... ...
Host-rock properties Adequate depth, thickness, and lateral extent of host rock Low permeability and mechanical strength sufficient to allow for stable excavations; chemical composition of waste will not react adversely with rock (c) Hydrology Low groundwater velocities; long dis tance from points of potential contami nation to points of use of potable groundwater Uplift or subsidence at rates low enough not to be a threat to the longer-term stability of the site Located away from active faults that would threaten operational safety or long-term containment; not located in areas of major historical earthquakes Site would avoid areas of Quaternary (d)
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From page 82... ...
~° Grout back of inner casing ~ // /' ,/ / Subsurface control station S ~ '' containers for solid waste - Lr~ Inclined drif ~ for sea led canIstcre of liquid waste FIGURE 5.1 Type of repository development that may be possible for toxic chemical wastes. Features shown are not to scale, and all shafts and drifts are not shown.
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From page 83... ...
FIGURE 5.3 Depth-yield relationship for water wells in metamorphic and platonic igneous rocks. With the exception of the one line labeled "median," data used are from mean specific capacities of wells of different depths.
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From page 84... ...
This general observation suggests that many permeable fractures in metamorphic and platonic igneous rocks have a limited extension. This qualitative conclusion is supported by aquifer tests and other tests completed on test holes in metamorphic rocks underlying the Savannah River Plant (Marine, 1981~.
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From page 85... ...
As the water moves into the regional flow field, nevertheless, useful approximations of contaminant concentrations can be made for any hypothetical source term. Total Amount of Contaminants that Reach the Surface A concern for the total amount of contaminants that eventually reach the surface is particularly acute in relation to the burial of radioactive wastes.
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From page 86... ...
One stategy for reducing the total amount of radionuclides reaching the biosphere is, therefore, to increase the time of isolation to allow for radioactive decay. The problem of isolation of hazardous chemical wastes has not been handled in the same way as radioactive wastes.
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From page 87... ...
= 10-3 AN 6 x 104 m2 0=10-4(6 x 104) 10-3-6 x 10~3m3/day 0~6 1 iters /day FIGURE 5.7 Map of a hypothetical repository showing groundwater flowing through the repository.
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From page 88... ...
Clearly, waste storage in a mined repository will be cost effective only for exceptionally hazardous materials. As is also true of repositories for high-level radioactive wastes, the long-term confinement of chemical waste in deep repositories will be threatened most by human intrusion and by the transport of chemicals in solution through groundwater migration.
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From page 89... ...
. Comparison of laboratory, in situ, and rock mass measurements of the hydraulic conductivity of metamorphic rock at the Savannah River Plant near Aiken, South Carolina, Water Resour.
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