Massive Concrete Facility to Store 125,000 Drums of Low-Level Nuclear Waste Opens in Korea

"That’s not a roof; it’s a crane."

On May 13, a visit to the low-level radioactive waste disposal facility in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, revealed a massive steel structure that resembled a factory roof from a distance. However, upon closer inspection, it was identified as a Mobile Crane Shelter (MCS) designed to transport radioactive waste drums. This structure, which serves both as a roof to shield against rain and as a crane, was the first thing that caught the eye at the site.
 
The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and the Korea Radioactive Waste Management Corporation held a ceremony on this day to mark the completion of the Phase Two surface disposal facility. This facility, which allows for the separate handling of low-level and very low-level waste, completes the world’s first combined disposal system on a single site, following the existing cavern disposal facility.

In the center of the site, large concrete boxes with open tops were lined up. A total of 20 disposal cells can each hold approximately 6,300 200-liter drums. With the completion of this Phase Two facility, an additional 125,000 drums can now be disposed of. Including a 'Future Area' for potential additional disposal cells, the facility can be expanded to accommodate up to 250,000 drums.

The disposal process is straightforward yet complex. The waste, which has undergone preliminary inspections at nuclear power plants and research facilities, is transported in specialized containers by land and sea. The dedicated transport vessel, Cheongjeongnuriho, is equipped with a double-hull and double-engine structure for safety, along with location tracking and automatic collision prevention systems.

Once the drums arrive at the site, they must pass acceptance and disposal inspections before being moved to the disposal cells. Specialized trucks deliver the drums directly to the disposal area, where the MCS crane lifts them and stacks them neatly. After filling each layer, the gaps between the drums are filled with grout—a thin cement slurry—to stabilize them.

Lee Kyung-hwan, head of the construction management team at the Korea Radioactive Waste Management Corporation, explained, "We fill the gaps between the drums with a thin cement mixture to prevent any movement. After disposing of up to nine layers, we will install a concrete slab on top to completely seal it."

He added, "Even after sealing all disposal cells, we will install a cover and continuously monitor for any radiation leakage into the surrounding environment."
  
The most frequently mentioned word at the site was 'water.' The core of waste management is to keep waste away from water.

The surface disposal facility is designed with a five-layer multi-barrier system, including the waste drums, backfill material, disposal cell, concrete cover, and bedrock. During disposal, the roof of the Mobile Crane Shelter prevents rainwater from entering, and after disposal, the upper slab and final cover minimize contact between water and waste.

Beneath the disposal cells, an underground inspection tunnel connects to drainage, ventilation, communication, and lighting systems. This structure is designed to drain any infiltrating water. Lee stated, "We plan to continuously monitor radiation levels in groundwater and the surrounding environment even after operations cease."

In light of recent wildfires in North Gyeongsang Province, fire prevention measures have also been strengthened. Surrounding the disposal cells, a water curtain (tower) system has been installed to prevent the spread of fires. Lee noted, "The installation and testing of fire protection equipment have been completed, and we have established an operational system that considers extreme disaster scenarios."

At the site, preparations are also underway to address future increases in waste. Currently, the annual acceptance and disposal volume is about 4,000 drums, which is expected to rise to 8,000 by 2030 and 12,000 by 2050. This increase is anticipated due to the ramp-up of nuclear power plant decommissioning, which will significantly boost waste generation.

To prepare for this, the corporation is also advancing plans for a Phase Three landfill disposal facility, aimed for completion in 2031, which will handle an additional 160,000 drums of very low-level waste.

The actual acceptance of waste into the Phase Two surface disposal facility is expected to begin by the end of this year. The corporation stated, "Following the operational commencement report and inspection period, we plan to start disposing of some waste in the Phase Two facility as early as November."