NEA Workshop on the Management of Non-Nuclear Radioactive Waste

2 May 2017, 08:00 → 4 May 2017, 18:00 Europe/Rome

Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro

Demetre Zafiropoulos (LNL)

Background

All NEA member countries, whether or not they have nuclear power plants, are faced with appropriately managing non-nuclear radioactive waste produced through industrial, research and medical activities. Sources of such waste can include national laboratory and university research activities, used and lost industrial gauges and radiography sources, hospital nuclear medicine activities and in some circumstances, naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) activities. Although many of these wastes are not long-lived, the shear variety of sources makes it difficult to generically assess their physical (e.g. volume, chemical form, mixed waste) or radiological (e.g. activity, half-life, concentration) characteristics. Additionally, the source-specific nature of these wastes poses questions and challenges to their regulatory and practical management at a national level.

This has generated interest from both the radiological protection and radioactive waste management communities, and prompted the Committee on Radiological Protection and Public Health (CRPPH) to organise, in collaboration with the Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC), a workshop tackling some of the key issues of this challenging topic.
 

Objectives

The key objectives of the NEA Workshop on the Management of Non-Nuclear Radioactive Waste are to address the particularities of managing non-nuclear waste in all its sources and forms and to share and exchange national experiences.

Presentations and discussions will address both technical aspects and national frameworks. Technical aspects will include:

• the range of non-nuclear waste sources, activities, volumes and other relevant characteristics;
• waste storage and repository capacities and life cycles;
• safety considerations for mixed wastes management;
• human resources and knowledge management;
• legal, regulatory and financial assurance, and liability issues.

Taking into account the entire non-nuclear waste lifecycle, the workshop will cover planning and preparatory approaches for considering wastes at the very earliest stages, prior to or at the time of storage and disposal facility licencing. National framework aspects will include:

• national sources of non-nuclear radioactive waste;
• national approaches to the characterisation of non-nuclear radioactive waste;
• non-nuclear radioactive waste installation regulatory frameworks;
• experience with non-nuclear radioactive waste disposal installation siting processes.

Participants will discuss challenges and opportunities in these important areas, including cross-border collaborative approaches for non-nuclear waste.

More info: http://www.oecd-nea.org/rp/workshops/nonurad2017/

Tuesday, 2 May

09:00 → 09:05 NEA

09:00 → 09:25 Welcome

09:05 → 09:10 LNL

09:10 → 09:25 INFN

09:25 → 09:40 Workshop Overview and Objectives

The Workshop Chair and Co-Chair will provide a short overview of the intent, content and output of the workshop.

09:40 → 09:45 Overview of the Issues

Papers in this session will set the scene, providing an overview of the types and properties of non-nuclear waste, of the regulatory framework under which such waste is generated, the regulatory and operational aspects of waste management implementing organisations, and radiological and optimisation elements. The Session Chair and Co-Chair will briefly present an overview of the intent and content of the session.

09:40 → 12:00 Session 1

09:45 → 10:05 Paper 1.1: Characterisation of Non-Nuclear Waste and its Sources

10:05 → 10:25 Paper 1.2: Regulation of Generators of Non-Nuclear Waste

10:25 → 11:00 Coffee Break

11:00 → 11:20 Paper 1.3: Regulatory Framework for Non-Nuclear Waste Disposal

11:20 → 11:40 Paper 1.4: Operational Aspects of Non-Nuclear Waste Disposal Installations

11:40 → 12:00 Paper 1.5: Radiological Aspects of Non-Nuclear Waste Disposal Installations

12:00 → 13:30 LUNCH

13:30 → 13:40 National Approaches

Papers in this session will present national physical, regulatory and operational status of non-nuclear waste management The Session Chair and Co-Chair will briefly present an overview of the intent and content of the session.

13:30 → 17:45 Session 2:

13:40 → 14:00 Paper 2.1: International Standards and Guidance