Volume and Activity of Wastes Addressed in the EIS
The total volume of wastes being addressed in this EIS is estimated to be about 5,600 m3 containing about 144 million curies of activity.
How much GTCC LLW and DOE GTCC-like waste is there?
The current (stored) volume of GTCC LLW and DOE GTCC-like waste is estimated to be about 1,000 m3 containing about 15 million curies of activity. Most of this total (about 870 m3 containing 11 million curies) is DOE GTCC-like waste.
An additional volume of 4,600 m3 of waste containing about 129 million curies is projected to be generated from all sources in the future. This projection is through 2035 for all types of wastes except for activated metal from decommissioning commercial nuclear reactors. The projection for this waste type is through 2062 to account for the GTCC LLW that could be generated from decommissioning all currently operating commercial nuclear reactors.
The projected volume of 4,600 m3 is about equally divided between GTCC LLW and DOE GTCC-like waste. Most of the activity (about 110 million curies) is associated with the activated metal wastes from decommissioning commercial nuclear power plants. In summary, the total volume of GTCC LLW and DOE GTCC-like waste being addressed in this EIS is estimated to be about 5,600 m3 containing a total of 144 million curies of activity. Additional detail on estimated quantities of GTCC LLW and DOE GTCC-like waste can be found in the report entitled "Greater-Than-Class C Low-Level Radioactive Waste Inventory Estimates," (DOE June 2007). These estimates are preliminary and may change as the EIS progresses, as these estimates are projected over several decades.
In contrast, the total volume of Class A, B, and C LLW disposed of at commercial radioactive waste disposal facilities through 2062 is estimated to be about 5,400,000 m3 containing 22 million curies. The total volume of GTCC LLW and DOE GTCC-like waste (5,600 m3) is a very small fraction (less than 0.1%) of the total volume of Class A, B, and C LLW waste requiring disposal; however, the GTCC LLW and DOE GTCC-like waste contains about seven times more activity.
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