Deep Borehole Repository

State-of-knowledge related to deep borehole disposal

Many countries develop geological disposal facilities to dispose of high level waste. Some of them investigated deep borehole disposal as an alternative. The goal of this study is to provide information from a number of different perspectives (safety, social concerns, R&D and regulatory needs) so that everyone has the key elements to debate the issue. This information is collected through a bibliographical review of several references detailing the investigations carried out on the DBR concept throughout the world, the current or planned solutions, the reasons for abandonment and/or challenges identified for future R&D.

REPORT PUBLICATION

Deep Borehole Repository report – SITEX.Network; this is a report on the state of knowledge and first assessment of the pros and cons based on the literature review with regard to safety and society concerns towards deep borehole repository of high-level radioactive waste. The report includes several sections:

  1. Introduction
  2. Methodology
  3. Overview of various borehole disposal developments since the 1950’s
  4. SITEX.Network bibliographic review
  5. Workshop about the bibliographic review
  6. Conclusions
  7. References
  8. Appendices

The report  have been presented during the Lunch & Learn session of EURAD on 19th of May 2022 (presentation & recording).

This bibliographic report is the result of a collective action by several authors within the SITEX.Network and does not commit the SITEX.Network members ‘organisations. Depending on the countries, the DBR concept is an option explicitly considered in or excluded for the long term management of radioactive waste. The report does not have the objective to question the choices made in national radioactive waste management programs. The report is only intended for informational purposes about the concept of DBR.