Ocean disposal of radioactive waste
1946–93
Data are from IAEA-TECDOC-1105. Summary of pages 27–120: Disposal projects attempted to locate ideal dumping sites based on depth, stability and currents, and to treat, solidify and contain the waste.

Ocean disposal of radioactive waste

Section Title: 1946–93
Table Section Text: Data are from IAEA-TECDOC-1105. Summary of pages 27–120: Disposal projects attempted to locate ideal dumping sites based on depth, stability and currents, and to treat, solidify and contain the waste.

Country	dumped (unit TBq=1012 Bq）	period	num of sites, volume, etc.*

Arctic	Atlantic	Pacific	Total

Soviet Union	38,369	0	874	39,243	1959–92	Arctic ; 20 sites, 222,000 m3 and reactor w or w/o spent fuel, Pacific Ocean (mainly sea of Japan); 12 sites, 145,000 m3

Russia	0.7	0	2.1	2.8	1992–93	Arctic ; 3,066 m3, Pacific Ocean 6,327 m3

Belgium	0	2,120	0	2,120	1960–82	NE Atlantic 6 sites, 55,324 containers, 23,100 tons

France	0	354	0	354	1967–69	NE Atlantic 2 sites, 46,396 containers, 14,300 tons

Germany	0	0.2	0	0.2	1967	NE Atlantic 1 site once, 480 containers, 185 tons

Italy	0	0.2	0	0.2	1969	NE Atlantic 1 site, 100 containers, 45 tons

Netherlands	0	336	0	336	1967–82	NE Atlantic 4 sites, 28,428 containers, 19,200 tons

Sweden	0	3.2	0	3.2	1959,61,69	Baltic sea 1 site, 230 containers, 64 tons, NE Atlantic 1 site, 289.5 containers, 1,080 tons,

Switzerland	0	4,419	0	4,419	1969–82	NE Atlantic, 3 sites, 7,420 containers, 5,321 tons

UK	0	35,088	0	35,088	1948–82	NE Atlantic 15 sites, ?? containers, 74,052 tons and 18 sites off coast of British isles more than 9.4 TBq

USA	0	2,942	554	3,496	1946–70	Mid/NW of Atlantic (9), Gulf of Mexico (2) total 11 sites, 34,282 containers, ? tones, Mid/NE of Pacific Ocean, total of 18 sites, 56,261 containers, ?

Japan	0	0	15.08	15.08	1955–69	South of main island, 6 sites 15 times, 3,031 containers, 606,000 m3

New Zealand	0	0	1.04	1.04	1954–76	East coast of New Zealand, 4 sites, 9 containers, 0.62 m3

South Korea	0	0	no data	1968–72	Sea of Japan, 1 site 5 times?, 115 container, 45 tons

Total	38,369	45,262	1,446	85,077	Subtotal of all volume reported is 982,394 m3.

*Some countries report the mass and volume of disposed waste and some just tonnage. The US did not report tonnage or volume of 90,543 containers.

Sentence(s)

The dumping in the Atlantic was done by UK (35,088 TBq), followed by Switzerland (4,419 TBq), USA (2,924 TBq) and Belgium (2,120 TBq).

final_sentence: The dumping in the Atlantic was done by UK (35,088 TBq), followed by Switzerland (4,419 TBq), USA (2,924 TBq) and Belgium (2,120 TBq).