Worldwide, tens of thousands of tons of 'used' nuclear fuel are in temporary storage in 'pools' underwater or sometimes in concrete buildings or containers; both are usually located adjacent to nuclear power plants outside reactor containment domes. This fuel is vulnerable to terror attacks and should be moved into long-term storage in a deep underground repository as soon as possible.

Most storage projects are stalled due to opposition from environmental groups and from people that live near potential storage sites. Opposition is often through legal and regulatory challenges that create an atmosphere of uncertainty for the entire nuclear industry and nearby communities.

Environmentalists have recently softened their opposition to nuclear power because of the recognition that nuclear power is better for the environment than fossil-fuel generated electricity; nevertheless, there is still considerable opposition to current plans for disposal sites for used fuel. Support is building for construction of hundreds of new nuclear plants but the unresolved issue of what to do with the used fuel is inhibiting investment financing and government loan guarantees. Investors are justifiably nervous about investing in projects that could be held up in years of litigation. Government loan guarantees are fine, but they don’t guarantee profits if the plants never get approved for operation. The used-fuel issue must be resolved for investors to feel comfortable investing in nuclear projects. Environmentalists must support the solution so that they will not file injunctions or organize protests against nuclear projects; without that support, investors will remain reluctant to support nuclear projects that appear indispensable to reduce the use of fossil fuels and fight global warming with effectiveness.

Since 1955, scientists have been advocating that used nuclear fuel be stored in a repository deep underground in stable, non-geologically-active rock, away from water contamination and away from human populations. For 50 years, used fuel has been accumulating in temporary storage due to the lack of a permanent storage site.

There are about 435 nuclear plants worldwide producing about 12,000 tons of used fuel per year. 53 more are under construction, 134 more are being actively planned and 300 more have been proposed.

Recycling used nuclear fuel to recover the 98% of potential energy that it still contains (after its first cycle of use) has been proposed but is not economically sensible at current uranium prices. However, nuclear fuel prices are rising and recycling will become cost-effective in the future. The Securad repository design will allow for the retrieval of any canister of spent fuel at any time without disturbing other canisters.

One gram of "waste" actually contains over one million times more reusable energy than a gram of coal. An expression such as "nuclear waste" may be the biggest oxymoron of all times.

The Archean shield of Canada is one of the few places on Earth that is large enough, and geologically stable enough to secure used fuel that will be potentially radioactive for up to 1,000,000 years. The granitic rock is dry and is an ideal medium for the storage of any amount of used fuel.

The primary risk in storing spent fuel comes from the possibility of a radioactive release due to some catastrophic event such as an earthquake. The danger also comes from the release of radioactivity into the environment through water or air transport. As such, it is critical that any repository be located away from groundwater and from population centers with a high activity that may intersect with the activities of the repository. That is why the northeastern coast of Canada is ideal; the rock is dry, with no groundwater and, if there was a release into the air, the radioactivity would be blown over the Atlantic Ocean where it would be safely dispersed. Such release is not much probable but Securad believes in maximum redundancy for environmental safety no matter what might happen.

Used nuclear fuel is also a target for terror attacks or misuse. The Securad plan provides for a large area of controlled access (over 100 miles in radius) to the repository area, transport of spent fuel by waterways away from the hazards of road and rail and closer to nuclear plants which are almost always located adjacent to water for plant cooling purposes. Fuel canisters will be welded shut at the nuclear plants BEFORE shipment in massive containers that would be impossible to hijack. All shipments will be protected by armed security with consultation with, and possible participation of, US and Canadian military personnel. The Securad repository will be located near a major military base.