Regional scale screening of selected regions of Bangladesh to identify potential sites for the disposal of low and intermediate level radioactive waste

Disposal of radioactive wastes has emerged as a vital issue for Bangladesh as the country is actively working to have a nuclear power plant operating in the country by 2023-2024. The current study aims to find potential sites for a near-surface disposal facility using a geographic information system software and multi-criteria analysis method. Previously six regions (Region-1 to Region-6) were identified upon performing continental scale screening of the whole territory of Bangladesh. In the current study, regional scale screening has been performed of Region-1 and Region-2 using five criteria divided into fifteen sub-criteria: earthquakes, wind speed, rainfall, cultivated-vegetated land, forests, buildings-facilitie-built up areas (area), buildings-facilities-industries-institutions (Point), population density, medium-broad road and railway, narrow road, monument, power line, ground water table, surface water body, and lastly flooding were used in the analysis. The suitability map and relative importance weighting of these sub-criteria were determined by using the geographic information system and multi-criteria analysis method. The overlay analysis was performed of suitability maps of each sub-criterion and found the final suitability map of Region-1 and Region-2. These suitability maps were divided into six categories: the excluded area, most suitable, suitable, moderately suitable, unsuitable, and completely unsuitable. Nineteen potential sites with a maximum and minimum area of 7.90 km2 and 1.15 km2 were identified from these most suitable and suitable areas. Detailed field investigation and site characterization are needed to be performed on selected potential sites to choose a final disposal site for the low and intermediate levels of radio-active waste.