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The Lanyu storage site (Chinese: 蘭嶼貯存場; pinyin: Lányǔ Zhùcún Chǎng) is a facility to store all of the nuclear waste produced by three nuclear power plants in the Republic of China in Lanyu Island, Taitung County. It is owned and operated by Taipower.
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History
In the early 1970s, the Atomic Energy Council formed a task group to search for sites as a temporary storage facility for mid and low-level nuclear waste. The decision to choose Long Men area of Lanyu Island as the storage site was made in 1974. The construction of the facility commenced by building a harbor in 1978 and later the storage in 1980. First shipment carrying nuclear waste arrived in May 1982. Aborigines living on the island have been protesting on the facility.
Location
The facility was built at the South Eastern tip of Lanyu Island, It faces the Pacific Ocean in one direction, and the other three directions face hills behind it, thus separating the facility from the residence by natural barriers.
Functions
The facility receives low-level radioactive solid waste from nuclear power plants, medical, agriculture, industrial, education and research sectors about 45,000 barrels annually, which is being shipped by boat from Taiwan Island every week.
Safety
Taipower claims that several safety measures are taken to ensure the safety of the facility. Wastes are tested and examined before being stored at the facility, transportation and storage are done under strict control, thorough investigation and examination are done to the environment surrounding the facility, and changes in the radioactivity level are strictly monitored.