Epiloge

     This paper revealed that natural systems do not follow human, made rule making. This becomes, in particular, true for regulatory aspects in nuclear waste management.     Long term projects like the Yucca Mountain nation's repository program is a good example of how difficult it is to predict its safe operation over a longer time period.   The performance of the repository was initially based on physical criteria (e.g., geological barriers) which, however, encountered scientific objections triggered by the set time frame of the repository operation phase (e.g., at least 10,000 years and longer) vs. the safety to humans and the environment.  The political constellations were also questioned such as administrative control over the repository in the future.   The initial evaluation process of single subsystem performance (e.g., rock erosion) was finally replaced with evaluating the whole system including human, engineered constructions.   These constructions were to control and mitigate possible safety problems (e.g., water impact on the repository).  The new approach of evaluating the repository performance was favorable and assumed a better predictability of the repository performance. A better predictability of the repository performance made it more reasonable of meeting licensing requirements and building and operating the repository within the given deadlines of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act.   The reader might further discuss the usefulness of nuclear waste in the future.  In deed, the waste might become “gold” when the waste might be converted into something useful and harmless by a new and inexpensive technology.  Yet developing technologies and economics of such type is still far from our capacities. Thus the question of continuing nuclear energy might then be treated as a moral one.   In other words creating new “pyramids” of waste does not hold with our primary philosophy of humanity and life (Protection of life).   Waste of such long time, toxic effect ought not to be produced or accepted by economic priorities or international competition. A single terrestrial or extraterrestrial incident may be enough to release the waste to the biosphere and generate irreversible consequences to life and environment for many thousand years of time. In fact, the expenses will exceed profits at high cost for humanity and life.