The ocean storage of nuclear waste

One of the most daunting issues facing the United States and the global nuclear community is the storage of nuclear waste produced from military weapons and power generation, nuclear electric power generation, decommissioned power plants, and medical and scientific research. As nuclear waste of all types continues to accumulate worldwide, the need to address the issue in a timely and innovative fashion is paramount. Recently, the U.S. Congress passed legislation advancing the development of a land-based storage site at Yucca Mountain, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. The storage of such materials at Yucca Mountain continues to be highly controversial, drawing criticism from a broad range of sources. One potential alternative to storing materials in land-based facilities such as Yucca Mountain is deep ocean storage. At first blush, the notion of storing nuclear waste at the bottom of the ocean appears an impossible and dangerous exercise. Upon closer look, however, this approach may provide significant benefits to traditional land-based storage.