Radioactive waste may have been sorted incorrectly and now needs to be retrieved from the final repository – and possibly moved. There is a risk that it is more dangerous than previously thought.
Seventy-five containers of nuclear waste may have been improperly deposited in Forsmark’s repository for short-lived nuclear waste. The Radiation Safety Authority now demands that seven companies responsible for the waste check the contents, as first reported by P4 Uppland.
The waste, dating from 1980 to 2001, was initially considered to meet the requirements for final disposal. However, investigations conducted in 2012 on waste not yet placed in the final repository revealed discrepancies between the documentation and the actual contents.
“We discovered that the waste contains long-lived nuclides, and the repository is not designed for that. There are several uncertainties, including the possibility that it contains liquids with other chemical and biological materials not permitted in the repository,” said Jenny Zettersten, an inspector at the Radiation Safety Authority, to TT.
The matter involves 2,844 barrels, each containing 100 liters of waste. Currently, it is not dangerous, but there are risks for the future, according to Jenny Zettersten.
“The radium content can cause significant radiation doses in the future, between 100 to 1,000 years from now, if someone were to drill a well there,” she said.
The issue has been an open case for over a decade with several investigations. It has now resulted in the companies Barsebäck Kraft AB, Ringhals AB, Forsmarks Kraftgrupp, OKG AB, AB Svafo, Studsvik Nuclear AB, and Cyclife Sweden AB being required to retrieve the waste.
The companies must re-examine the waste to determine whether it can be returned to the final repository or if it needs to go to an interim storage. Several studies have also been conducted on the risks associated with moving the waste.
“The containers are in poor condition, so it may be necessary to repackage the waste into new containers to transport it safely.”
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