SOME LESSONS FROM THE FIRST LICENSED GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY FOR RADIOACTIVE WASTE IN AMERICA

Practical geologic isolation of some radioactive waste in America began 15 years ago at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in southeastern New Mexico and will continue for several years or even a few decades. By geologically sequestering natural and anthropogenic radionuclides from the easily accessible biosphere, WIPP mitigates and eliminates their legacy impact on our environment.

WIPP science, engineering, and practical operating experience demonstrate that geologic isolation is as feasible and effective in America as it has been elsewhere since the 1960s. But that experience also raises questions about the intellectual and scientific foundation of modern radiation protection standards. Those reflect mainly the technological limits of available instrumentation rather than an assessment of the natural range of radiation exposure in time and space and its effects (or the lack thereof) on humans and the environment.

A significant factor determining the natural range of exposure to ionizing radiation is the character of our geological environment. Particularly suited to address evolutionary change through time and space, geology and its related disciplines can help establish a framework for rational regulatory reform.