Twenty Years - Operation of Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal and Challenges for the Next Project

Twenty Years’ Operation of Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal and Challenges for the Next Project

Rokkasho Low-level Radioactive Waste Disposal Center (the Center) has been operating as the only commercial waste disposal site in Japan for 20 years. It receives low level radioactive waste (LLW) generated at Japanese nuclear power plants (NPPs). The planned capacity is up to 600,000 m3 (3,000,000 drums) and the Center has been already approved for 80,000 m3 (400,000 drums). The Center has been receiving more than 260,000 drums (about 52,000 m3) of waste at the end of December, 2013.