Abstract
The objective of near surface disposal facilities is to isolate low and intermediate level radioactive waste (LILW) so that it does not result in under exposure to humans and the environment. The importance of safe disposal technology and regulations of near surface facilities has long been recognized and there has been an increasing need in detail technical guidance for supporting the disposal of LILW due to the rapid development of the nuclear power in China. This paper firstly reviews the status of LILW disposal in China, including the disposal technology, management strategy, laws and regulations, safety guides and technical manual. Secondly, comparisons have been performed for the safety guides between China and IAEA according to the key aspects characterizing a disposal site, which include geology, hydrogeology, geochemistry, tectonics and seismicity as well as surface processes meteorology. Result shows that the near surface disposal facilities in China are depended on the types of LILW, the characteristics of the sites, the structure of disposal unit and so on. The present laws and regulations, safety guides and technical manuals have only brief and fundamental items but are not sufficient for the application of a real disposal. Therefore, a detailed instruction is in great need regarding to the code for geotechnical investigation of near surface disposal of LILW. This study provides an instruction for siting and construction of near surface disposal facilities in China.
