Analysis of multiple engineering-natural barriers system for sustainable management of radioactive wastes

Population growth and urban and industrial development processes around the world have made the adoption of alternative energy sources inevitable to reduce fossil fuel consumption as well as their harmful effects on human and environmental health. Over the past decades, the expansion of using nuclear energy as an alternative energy source indicates the widespread production of radioactive waste and the proper management of radioactive waste has become a vital challenge for the international community. The present study is a review study that examines the principles and processes of radioactive waste management and the factors influencing the location of radioactive waste landfills. It also emphasizes on the design of multiple engineering-natural barriers and the adoption of control-monitoring programs with legal requirements for the optimal disposal of radioactive waste to adopt efficient strategies to pay attention to various aspects of sustainability in all aspects of the environmental, social, and economic. The results of the study indicate that the processes of preparation and stabilization of hazardous waste, risk assessment, landfill site selection, the long-term safety of landfills, design of durable structures, adoption of multiple engineering-natural barrier systems, design of monitoring and control programs can reduce humans and environment vulnerability from radioactive waste landfills and can be used as effective frameworks in the radioactive waste management by designers, planners and, engineers.