ASN Report 2020

Storage Storage, as defined by Article L. 542-1-1 of the Environment Code, is a temporary management solution for radioactive waste. The waste is kept in storage for a limited period pending its transfer to disposal, or in order to achieve a sufficient level of radioactive decay to enable it to be sent to conventional waste management routes in the particular case of very short-lived waste, which comes chiefly from the medical sector. Some facilities (see below) are specifically dedicated to the storage of radioactive waste, such as Ecrin, commissioned in 2018, and Cedra and Iceda, commissioned in 2020. This will also be the case with Diadem once this facility is commissioned. As for the CSD-C and CSD-V packages, they are stored directly in various facilities on the La Hague site pending commissioning of the deep geological repository for HL and ILW-LL waste. Research and Development Support facilities are used for research and development work to optimise radioactive waste management. Among these, the Chicade facility (BNI 156) operated by the CEA on the Cadarache’s site conducts research and development work in low-level and intermediate-level objects and waste. This work primarily concerns aqueous waste treatment processes, decontamination processes, solid waste packaging methods and the expert assessment and inspection of waste packages. 2. Nuclear safety in waste management support facilities, role of ASN and waste management strategies of the major nuclear licensees 2.1  Nature of ASN oversight and actions 2.1.1 The graded approach With regard to radioactive waste management, ASN’s oversight aims at verifying on the one hand correct application of the waste management regulations on the production sites (for example with respect to waste zoning, packaging or controls performed by the licensee), and on the other hand the safety of the facilities dedicated to radioactive waste management (waste treatment, packaging, disposal and disposal facilities). This oversight is exercised proportionately to the waste management steps and the safety implications for the dedicated facilities. Thus, the waste management BNIs are classified in one of three categories, numbered from 1 to 3 in descending order of significance of the risks and adverse effects they present. This categorisation makes it possible to define an inspection programme and the level of expertise required to examine certain files submitted by the licensees. The various facilities and ASN’s assessment of their safety are presented in the introduction of this report. 2.1.2 Oversight of the packaging of waste packages Regulations The Order of 7 February 2012 defines the requirements associated with waste packaging. Producers of radioactive waste are instructed to their waste taking into account the requirements associated with their subsequent management, and more particularly their acceptance at the disposal facilities. ASN resolution 2017-DC-0587 of 23 March 2017 specifies the requirements regarding waste packaging for storage and the conditions of acceptance of waste packages in the disposal BNIs. Production of waste packages intended for existing disposal facilities The waste package producers prepare an approval application file based on the acceptance specifications of the disposal facility that is to receive the packages. Andra issues an storage formalising its agreement on the package manufacturing process and the quality of the packages. Andra verifies the conformity of the packages with the delivered approvals by means of audits and monitoring actions on the package producers’ premises and on the packages received at its facilities. Waste packages intended for projected disposal facilities With regard to storage facilities currently being studied, the waste acceptance specifications have of course not yet been defined. Andra therefore cannot issue approvals to govern the production of packages for LLW-LL, HLW-LL or ILW-LL waste. Under these conditions, the production of packages of these types of waste is subject to ASN approval on the basis of a file established by the waste producer called “packaging baseline requirements”. This file must demonstrate that on the basis of existing knowledge and the currently identified requirements of the disposal facilities being studied, the packages present no unacceptable behaviour. This provision also avoids delaying Waste Retrieval and Packaging (WRP) operations. Checks and inspections Alongside Andra’s surveillance of approved packages, ASN checks the measures taken by the licensee to correctly implement the requirements of the authorisation and to master the packaging processes. For waste packages intended for disposal facilities still under study, ASN is particularly attentive to ensuring that the packages comply with the conditions of the issued packaging approvals. ASN also ensures through inspections that Andra takes the necessary measures to verify the quality of the packages accepted in its disposal facilities. This is because ASN considers that Andra’s role in the approvals issuing process and in monitoring the measures taken by the waste package producers is vital in guaranteeing package quality and compliance with the safety case of the waste repositories. 2.1.3 Developing recommendations for sustainable waste management ASN issues opinions on the studies submitted under the PNGMDR. Between June 2020 and February 2021, ASN issued six opinions on the radioactive material and waste management routes, for the preparation of the 5th PNGMDR. 2.1.4 Developing the regulatory framework and issuing prescriptions to the licensees ASN can issue regulations. Thus, the provisions of the Order of 7 February 2012 which concern the management of radioactive waste have been set out in ASN resolutions mentioned earlier relative to waste management in BNIs and the packaging of waste. To give an example, the resolution of 23 March 2017 addresses the packaging of radioactive waste and the conditions of acceptance of the radioactive waste packages in the storage BNIs. Its aim is to specify the safety requirements in the various stages of a management route. This 366 ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2020 14 – RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND CONTAMINATED SITES AND SOILS