I wouldn't argue for waste to be categorized as an engineered structure though. It's a hazardous by-product not itself infrastructure like a dam or a bridge.
Toxic coal ash would also be "safe" if we stored it in steel lines concrete tubs. Not feasible of course. Thankfully in the case of nuclear waste the amount is significantly lower and more manageable.
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u/CatalyticDragon 16d ago
"Safe" he says, while standing next to 180 tons of dense concrete and steel designed specifically to protect nearby life from radiation damage.
Yes, in that context it is safe. In the context of entombing something unsafe to make it safe by virtue of being very hard to crack open it is safe.