Disposing of nuclear waste under Earth's crust

[Antiphon]

This may perhaps belong in a Geology forum but here goes.

Can anyone comment on the possibility of pushing nuclear wastes into the
molten magma below Earth's crust? I believe someplace near the Mojave
desert in the US the Earth's crust is only 4 or 5 miles thick.

I'm thinking that this would:
1) Perhaps greatly dilute the waste through a huge volume of viscous fluid
2) Confine it for enormous periods of time

 

[stoned]

i had the same idea maybe even on this forum. from all other options yous is the best.

 

[Pengwuino]

rofl, its the biggest trash compactor ever!

 

[theCandyman]

This idea has been suggested already. The waste would be dropped into the rifts in the ocean, however, not on land.

 

[mathman]

What would happen if the stuff gets into a nearby volcano? You could get a dirty radioactive cloud!

 

[Morbius]

What would happen if the stuff gets into a nearby volcano? You could get a dirty radioactive cloud!

mathman,

I think the subduction zones are far enough away, and sub-mantle
transport of material is slow enough; such that by the time the waste
reaches an active volcano - the residual radioactivity is neglible.

Dr. Gregory Greenman
Physicist

 

[Chronos]

Why bother? Dump the stuff in a geologically stable pit far below, and distant from the nearest water table, and forget about it.