INVESTIGATIONS ON CLAYS FOR RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL

The radioactive wastes (RAW) represent a serious problem for the environment and human health. It is necessary to isolate them from the biosphere in specially constructed repositories, which have to meet special requirements ensuring the safe disposal without the hazard of radiation emissions in the environment. A great part of the existing or designed RAW repositories in the world are situated on clay terrain. Clays are preferred because of their good isolation properties. The present report makes a concise summary of foreign experience in the investigations on clays for RAW isolation from environment. The repositories “Centre de l`Aube ” (France) and “Mohovtse ” (Slovakia) and the underground laboratory “HADES ” (Belgium) have been described. The analysis of this experience will contribute to the investigations on site selection and exploration for a RAW repository in Bulgaria, situated in clays