Session III Waste Management Policy - Perspectives Chairman: Piet Bredell (ZA) Rapporteur: Peter Lietava (CZ)

2 Contributing countries Contributions from 10 countries, IAEA and WNA

3 Overview of presentation topics - I. IAEA - definition of terms national policy vs. national strategy - formulation of national policies (safety fundamentals, compliance with national and international obligations, formulation, …) - rationale for the development of national policies and strategies - support of the IAEA to countries facing this topics

4 Overview of presentation topics - II. Canada - large nuclear programme covering the whole fuel cycle - national strategy considering both centralised (SF) and regional (LILW) solutions considering the geographical conditions - government dealing with the past practices Ukraine - second largest RAW inventory in the world - specific features of RAW management in the country - definition of national RAW strategy under preparation

5 Overview of presentation topics - III. - need to improve classification of RAW, regulations and codes for DGR site selection, design, …, segregation between short existing and long existing RAW, implementation of technologies for RAW volume reduction… South Africa - national RAW policy and strategy is currently in implementation phase - the organization and infrastructure for RAW management is in the process of establishing (NCRWM, NRWMA) - key role plays continuous operation of Vaalputs repository

6 Overview of presentation topics - IV. Slovenia - medium nuclear programme with specific dual ownership of NPP Krško - national RAW management strategy ratified in February 2006 defining detailed goals till 2015 and basic milestones afterwards - short term tasks are the decommissioning of U-mine and construction of LILW repository

7 Overview of presentation topics - V. Slovakia - medium size nuclear programme - governmental decision No. 190/94 defined RAW management strategy (treatment and conditioning of RAW into the form suitable for near surface disposal or long term storage, near surface disposal of acceptable waste, long term storage of non-acceptable waste waiting for deep geological repository and R&D for deep geological repository) - 5 y period for the updating of national strategy

8 Overview of presentation topics - VI. Russia - network of 16 RADON RAW management facilities, but no licensed repository at the whole territory of RF - need to create the federal body, responsible for implementation of the state policy - operation of old facilities having storage status - need for the unification of projects and facilities for RAW management Pakistan / Indonesia - medium to small nuclear programmes - main commonality - ambitious nuclear programmes for the future (from 2 to 11 NPPs in 2030 in Pakistan, NPPs in operation in Indonesia …)

9 Overview of presentation topics - VII. - no disposal facilities developed for any RAW class - need for centralized RAW management - plans to build DGR after 2060 (PAK) Chile - small nuclear programme - main source of RAW are R&D activities and RAW from industry, medicine,... - own RAW classification system - RAW management activities are centralised at the CCHEN organisation

10 Overview of presentation topics - VIII. Latvia - one RADON type facility + RR Salaspils - the amount of RAW will increase as the D&D of RR will start => need for the optimisation of RAW management - Baldone site selected for the construction of RAW repository (EIA, options, …) WNA - position Statement on “Safe Management of Nuclear Waste and Used Nuclear Fuel” (LLW repositories in operation, SNF considered as RAW or source of energy - reprocessing, …; challenges - completing technical demonstrations + public support for DGRs)

11 Overview of presentation topics - IX. - Report on “Ensuring Security of Supply in the International Nuclear Fuel Cycle” (Back-End Views) * objective of avoiding the spread of sensitive technologies /facilities through a credible assurance of access to enrichment and reprocessing/recycling services and, in the longer term, the establishment of multinational NFC centres

12 Topics for discussion - I. Issues identified * Large vs. small RAW management programmes - commonalties and differences - learning from each other and assisting * International cooperation on various aspects of RAW management - sharing of financial, human and technological resources / disposal facilities - development of national policies and strategies (cost of storage vs. disposal, delayed development of DGRs, …)

13 * Historical / Legacy waste - responsibility - pre-disposal and disposal options * Periodic updating of national policies and strategies and adapting to changed conditions * Technical issues influencing the definition of national RAW management policies and strategies - treatment of ion exchange resins - centralised waste management facilities - NORM and VLLW Topics for discussion - II.

14 Conclusions - I Auditorium responded very well to identified issues In the area of international co-operation the participants highlighted the need for knowledge management. It is quite difficult to deal with this issue, but as the nuclear industry expects dynamic growth in following decades it is vital to assure the exchange of practical operational experience between different generations of operational staff (June international conference) Terms national policy and national strategy very often overlap in official documents on this subject and there is no clear distinction between them. Usually there is no need to update the national policy on RAW management, but the technical means and processes how to reach these goals as described in national strategy require more frequent updates.

15 The flexibility can not put in question the final step in RAW management process - the disposal of RAW ”Pragmatic" approach to disposal of RAW - Some countries do not consider the disposal of RAW as the final step in their national RAW management policies yet. The IAEA representatives clearly expressed their opinion that this approach violates with at least one of the IAEA fundamentals on safe management of RAW - no undue burden to future generations. The disposal option has to be offered to the future generations including sufficient financial resources and established regulatory, organisational and R&D frameworks. Conclusions - II