IAEAInternational Atomic Energy Agency

TM-45865Technical Meeting on the Disposal of Intermediate Level Waste

Yumiko KumanoRadioactive Waste and Spent Fuel Management Unit

Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety - NSRW

IAEA Safety Standards and Activities on the Disposal of Intermediate Level Waste

IAEA

Overview

• IAEA Safety Standards and previous discussions on ILW disposal

• Consultancy in April 2013

• Way forward

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IAEA

IAEA Safety Requirements

Under development

Under development

Under development

Under development

Published

in 2011

Published

in 2011

Under development

Published

in 2011-12

2010

2009

2009

Under development

Published

in 2012

IAEA

Safety Standards: Predisposal

DS 448 DS 447 DS 454

• Classification

• Storage

• Safety Assessment

• Safety Case

• Management System

overview of safety standards 4

IAEA

Safety Standards - Disposal

Near Surface disposal

of RW

DS 356

Specific Safety Guide

• Site Aspects

• Design

• Construction

• Operation

• Closure

• Post Closure

• Safety Assessment

• Management System

overview of safety standards 5

Monitoring and Surveillance of

Disposal Facilities

DS 357

Specific Safety Guide

IAEA

Safety Standards - Disposal

Near Surface disposal

of RW

DS 356

Specific Safety Guide

LLW HLW

+ILW?

IAEA

Workshop in Korea - 2008

• Workshop on Intermediate Depth Disposal of Radioactive Waste : the Safety Basis and its Realization (Korea, 2008)

The concept of intermediate depth disposal is not useful - The depth of a geological disposal should be determined by a combination of geological, engineering and safety considerations rather than by an arbitrary standard of what constitutes “intermediate depth” or “deep”

The need for additional guidance for ILW disposal between a few tens to a few hundred meters below ground surface should be further examined

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This discussion on terminology could not be reflected to GSG-1, while SSR-5 incorporates this conclusion.

IAEA

GSG-1(2009): Classification of RW

WASTE CLASSES•LLW: Above the clearance level, limited amounts of long lived Rn. Requires robust isolation and containment for periods up to a few hundred years. Suitable for disposal in engineered near surface facilities typically from the surface to 30 m depth

•ILW: content in long lived Rn → greater degree of containment and isolation than that provided by NS disposal facilities. Disposal at greater depth than that of NS disposal facilities i.e. order of tens of m to a few hundred m (intermediate depth disposal)

•HLW: high levels of activity concentrations, heat generation by radioactive decay or waste with large amounts of long lived Rn. Disposal in deep, stable geological formations of several hundred meters depth or more below the surface.

•The suitability of waste for disposal in a particular disposal facility is required to be demonstrated by the safety case and supporting safety assessment for that facility

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IAEA

SSR-5(2009): Disposal of RW

DISPOSAL OPTIONSNear surface disposal: disposal in a facility […] constructed on the ground surface or up to a few tens of metres below ground level. Such a facility may be designated as a disposal facility for low level radioactive waste (LLW)

Disposal of intermediate level waste: […] Disposal could be by emplacement in facilities constructed […] at least a few tens of metres below ground level and up to a few hundred metres below ground level

Geological disposal: disposal in a facility constructed […] in a particular geological formation (e.g. in terms of its long term stability and its hydrogeological properties) at least a few hundred metres below ground level. Such a facility could be designed to receive high level radioactive waste […]. However, with appropriate design, a geological disposal facility could receive all types of radioactive waste.

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IAEA

The classification of radioactive waste

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half-life

Activity content

VSLW very short lived

waste (decay storage)

HLW high level waste

(deep geologic disposal)

ILW intermediate level waste

(intermediate depth disposal)

LLW low level waste

(near surface disposal)

VLLW very low level waste

(landfill disposal)

EW exempt waste

(exemption / clearance)

IAEA

Consultancy on the need for a specific safety guide – March 2011

Consultancy organized in March 2011

Study and analyze the potential differences in terms of safety to expect between disposal of ILW at depths ranging from a few tens to a few hundred meters, geological disposal for HLW and near surface disposal

Conclusions

•Term “Intermediate depth disposal” should be avoided/not useful

•No specific SG for ILW disposal – already covered by SSG-14

•Develop a safety report to address specific issues of ILW disposal

IAEA

Consultancy to draft a technical document on disposal facilities for ILW – April 2013

Objectives

•To discuss previous discussions and up-to-date information

•To discuss contents of a new technical document

•To prepare an draft document

•To discuss work plan

Consultants

Don Howard (CNSC, Canada) : Chair

Jean-Michel Hoorelbeke (ANDRA, France)

Juergen Wollrath (BfS, Germany)

Fredrik Vahlund (SKB, Sweden)

IAEA

Consultancy to draft a technical document on disposal facilities for ILW – April 2013

Outcome

Draft document on “SAFETY-RELATED ISSUES FOR THE DISPOSAL OF ILW”

Issues related to ILW disposalWaste characteristics

Half-life and activity / Chemotoxicity / Waste volume /

Waste form properties and waste conditioning /

Properties related to the operational safetyDepth-related characteristics

Geological properties / Erosion /

Permafrost and glaciation /

Human intrusion / RedoxDesign consideration for long-term isolationOperational issues

IAEA

This week

Objectives

1)Information sharing on various national activities

2)Discussion on common issues / Topics to be addressed in the Safety Report

3)Drafting of the Safety Report

Expected Outcome

1)Updated draft Safety Report

2)Preparation of Project Plan

IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency

International and Harmonization Projects in relation to Waste Management

• CRAFT (successor to SADRWMS)• Application of GSG-3, SADRWMS methodology & SAFRAN Tool• Illustrative examples to complement SG (DS284)

• PRISM• Safety case development / implementation for near-surface disposal• Barrier performance• Uncertainty

• GEOSAF I / II• Safety on geological disposal • Regulatory expectations throughout development and operation • Assessment – engineering, site, radiological impact, integration

• Working Group for the Dual Use Cask for Spent Nuclear Fuel• Safety case covering both transportation / storage • Extended periods of storage and meeting transport requirements

• HIDRA• Human intrusion for both geological / near-surface disposal facilities• Relationship with siting/ designing/ waste acceptance criteria

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IAEA

Thank You