Geological disposal of radioactive waste: underpinning science and technology

Abstract

The Royal Society of Chemistry, the Geological Society, the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Nuclear Institute, the Institution of Chemical Engineers, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Mineralogical Society organized a wide-ranging conference themed around the geological disposal of radioactive waste from 18th–20th October 2011 at the Burleigh Court Conference Centre, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK. One of its principal objectives was to showcase and publish research relevant to radioactive waste storage and disposal. The event was supported by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and the Energy Generation and Supply Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) for the Nuclear Sector, and kindly sponsored by AMEC and the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL). The conference brought together scientists, engineers and other interested specialists to discuss the chemical, biological, geological, hydrological, materials, engineering and other scientific and technological challenges associated with the long-term management of radioactive waste in the UK. The scientific committee peer-reviewed all abstracts received prior to the conference, and determined those best for oral and poster presentation. Papers presented in this issue of Mineralogical Magazine were subsequently subjected to a detailed and independent peer-review process. The organizing committee consisted of Nick Evans (chair), Loughborough University; Katherine Morris, The University of Manchester; Neil Smart and Gordon Turner, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority; Nic Bilham, Geological Society; Glen Owen, Institution of Civil Engineers; Claire Gallery-Strong, Nuclear Institute; Sam Shaw, Mineralogical Society; Steve Lancaster, Royal Society of Chemistry; Richard Ploszek, Royal Academy of Engineering; and Richard Shaw, British Geological Survey. The organizing committee would like to place on record its thanks to the sponsors (see back cover) and exhibitors. The conference was organized in thematic sessions and this volume is presented in the same manner. Each of the sections begins with a peer-reviewed paper from the NDA outlining its view on the state-of-the-art in …