In the process of dismantling used nuclear reactor in power plant, the biggest problem is how to find the place for stocking radioactive waste. According to Asahi Shimbun’s survey to major power companies in Japan, no one has secured the place for the processing. High-level nuclear waste needs to be kept safe for a hundred thousand years. Nuclear waste after dismantlement has no way to go.
Nuclear waste in Japan is categorized into four kinds. High-level nuclear waste such as used nuclear fuel has to be kept in 300 meters underground for 100,000 years after being transformed into vitrified solid waste. Relatively high-level nuclear waste (L1) represented by control rod needs to be stored in 70 meters or deeper underground for 300 to 400 years. Relatively low-level nuclear waste (L2) such as gloves or wasted liquid must be buried in 50 meters below the surface for 300 to 400 years. Very low-level waste (L3) including concrete or metal needs to be under the surface for 50 years.
While low-level radioactive waste produced in the process of nuclear power generation can be accepted by a facility for radioactive waste burying facility in Aomori, nuclear waste in the dismantlement of nuclear power plant has to be processed by each electric power company. To the survey of Asahi, seven companies -- Tokyo, Chubu, Kansai, Chugoku, Shikoku, Kyushu and Japan Atomic Power Company – that had the plan of dismantlement, answered that they do not have found place to bury the waste. Two companies – Hokkaido and Tohoku – that have no plan of dismantlement also possess any place for that. Hokuriku Electric Power Company even has no idea of dismantlement.
After the severe accident in First Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, 17 nuclear reactors have been decided to be dismantled. The waste from nuclear reactor is too radioactive to be temporarily placed in the site of power plant. To select the place for the waste to go needs informed consent from local residents, which can require certain period of time. Those conditions may cause delay of dismantling process.
It is likely that power companies will demand involvement of national government as it is doing for nuclear waste in power generation. However, there is no vision that any local government will accept the processing facility in their region, because no one can guarantee the safety of radioactive waste for hundreds of years or a hundred thousand. Processing of low-level radioactive waste proves unprofitability of nuclear power generation.
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