Radioactive Waste Immobilisation: How we are solving the problems

1
Radioactive Waste Immobilisation How we are
solving the problems

• Application of Waste Package Standards and
  Specifications in the UK
• 22 March 2005

2
Nirexs Mission

• "In support of Government policy, develop and
  advise on safe, environmentally sound and
  publicly acceptable options for the long-term
  management of radioactive materials in the UK"

3
Nirexs Objectives

• (b) Set specifications and standards based on a
  phased deep geological disposal concept and
  advise the industry on how to treat and package
  radioactive waste through the application of the
  Nirex Letter of Compliance Process
• (c) Maintain an inventory of radioactive waste in
  the UK in conjunction with the Department for
  Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)

"This work will be carried out adhering to
Government policy at all times, ensuring no
conflict or overlap with the work of Committee on
Radioactive Waste Management or the Nuclear
Decommissioning Authority"
4
Long-term Management of all Radioactive Materials
5
(No Transcript)
6
Phased Geological Repository Concept
7
The Generic Documents 2003
8
Packaging Specifications
9
Nirex Letter of Compliance Process
10
Policy Background

• Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM)
  will recommend one/more long-term management
  options in 2006
• HSE Management of Radioactive Waste (Mar 2001)
• radioactive waste should be put into a passively
  safe state
• IAEA Joint Convention (1997)
• take into account interdependencies among the
  management steps, and avoid actions that impose
  impacts on future generations greater than
  permitted today
• Radioactive Waste Policy Group (Feb 2004)
• ILW should continue to be packaged under the LoC
  process during CoRWMs deliberations, as a good
  level of compatibility with other options
• Regulators Guidance to Industry (Mar 2005)
• regulators would normally expect an assessment
  via the LoC process

11
Improved Regulatory Arrangementsfor ILW Packaging
12
Progress withILWPackaging by Volume - April 2004
13
Letter of Compliance Process
14
Scope of Assessments
15
ILW Storage - Sellafield, Cumbria
16
Legacy Ponds
17
Homogeneous Wastes
18
Supercompacted Wastes
19
Magnox in Grout
Courtesy of NSTS
20
Corrosion of Magnox
Fresh / Corroded
Courtesy of NSTS
21
Performance Testing
22
Results and Analysis
23
Risk Analysis - Effect from Tc99
24
Vitrified HLW Storage - Sellafield, Cumbria
25
HLW/Spent Fuel International Collaboration

• Use SKB KBS-3 Concept to link
• Nagra/NUMO/ Nirex Repository Concepts Development
  Workshops
• Discussion with other sister organisations

26
(No Transcript)
27
HLW/SF Concept
28
(No Transcript)
29
HLW/SF Next Steps

• RD reviews and appraisals
• Further developing operational, transport and
  post-closure safety assessments for HLW/SF
• consideration of alternatives (e.g. canister
  materials)
• assessments for separated stocks of Plutonium and
  Uranium
• Developing Waste Package Specifications (WPS)
• Stakeholder Involvement
• Working with other Waste Management Organisations

30
Challenges

• Reactive metals - gas, wasteform disruption
• Organics degradation products, complexation
• Infiltration/immobilisation of complex wastes
• Superplasticisers
• Retention of long-lived soluble radionuclides
• Alternatives to cement
• Evolution under appropriate conditions medium
  and long-term

31
(No Transcript)
32
3 Stage LoC Process
33
Structure of Assessment Output