Our survey of the question of borosilicate glass at Yucca Mountain indicates that DOE should be putting far more emphasis on the problems of waste forms and engineered barriers performance — not that one would expect a repository to perform a lesser role in containment, but from the point of view of meeting reasonable health criteria with the greatest possible confidence.
This survey indicates one more way in which the DOE is embarked on a program which may pose risks in areas which are not yet fully recognized or incorporated in program decision-making. If such risks turn out to degrade repository performance, it is a matter of urgency to investigate and resolve the issues. If not, DOE will again have chosen a path that may result in high cost, long delays and increased risks.
Prepared for the Nevada Nuclear Waste Task Force and the Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects, Nuclear Waste Project Office, State of Nevada