Consequently, the types of waste produced by CEA are varied and include more specifically: ∙ waste resulting from operation of the research facilities (protective garments, filters, metal parts and components, liquid waste, etc.); ∙ waste resulting from legacy waste retrieval and packaging operations (cement-, sodium-, magnesium- and mercurybearing waste); ∙ waste resulting from final shutdown and decommissioning of the facilities (graphite waste, rubble, contaminated soils, etc.). The contamination spectrum of this waste is also wide with, in particular, the presence of alpha emitters in activities relating to fuel cycle research and beta-gamma emitters in operational waste from the experimental reactors. CEA has specific facilities for managing this waste (processing, packaging and storage). Some of them are shared between all the CEA centres, such as the Liquid Effluent Treatment Station (STEL) in Marcoule or the Solid Waste Treatment Station (STD) in Cadarache. The issues and challenges The main issues for CEA with regard to radioactive waste management are: ∙ renovation of the facilities (BNI 37-A for example); ∙ extension of the existing storage capacities (Cedra); ∙ commissioning future storage capacities (Diadem); ∙ conducting legacy WRP projects. These various undertakings must permit the processing, packaging and storage of the effluents, spent fuel and waste under satisfactory conditions of safety and radiation protection and within time frames compatible with the commitments made for shutting down old facilities which no longer meet current safety requirements. ASN’s examination of CEA’s waste management strategy In response to a request from ASN and ASND in 2012, CEA submitted an overall review of its decommissioning and waste management strategy in December 2016. The review of this report enabled the two authorities to issue a joint opinion on this strategy in May 2019. ASN and ASND consider that CEA’s facility decommissioning strategy and its updating of the waste and material management strategy are the result of an in-depth review and analysis. With regard to the material and waste management strategy, the two Authorities observe several vulnerabilities due in particular to the envisaged sharing of resources between centres, for the management of liquid radioactive effluents or solid radioactive waste for example, which means that for some operations, only a single facility will be available. The two Authorities also note uncertainties concerning the management of spent fuels or irradiated materials, which will have to be clarified. ASN and ASND have therefore addressed several demands to CEA with the aim of limiting these vulnerabilities, consolidating its strategy and detailing the operations schedule. They demanded that CEA make regular progress reports on the decommissioning and waste management projects, and ensure regular communication with the public, applying procedures appropriate to the nature of the facilities, civil or defence. ASN, ASND and CEA have agreed to set up regular monitoring of these operations, through progress indicators in particular. Monitoring implementation of CEA waste management strategy ASN has engaged regular interchanges with the DGEC, ASND and CEA to reinforce progress monitoring on the priority projects. ASN has observed the difficulty CEA has in fully controlling the challenges associated with these projects, which must be carried out simultaneously and concern as much the management of the decommissioning operations as the operation of the waste management support facilities. It will continue to be particularly attentive to the management and monitoring of these projects. However, ASN emphasises the good forward-planning of the work necessary to avoid saturating some of the waste storage capacities, such as phase 3 of the Cedra facility, and the good alignment of the transportation master plan with CEA’s storage capacities. 2.4 ORANO’S WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY AND ITS ASSESSMENT BY ASN The spent fuel reprocessing and recycling plant at the La Hague site presents major radioactive waste management issues. The waste on the La Hague site comprises on the one hand waste resulting from reprocessing of the spent fuel, which generally comes from nuclear power plants but also from research reactors, and on the other, waste resulting from operation of the various facilities on the site. Most of this waste remains the property of the licensees – whether French or foreign – who have their spent fuel reprocessed. French waste is directed to the management routes described earlier, whereas foreign waste is sent back to its country of origin. On the Tricastin site, Orano also produces waste associated with the front-end activities of the “cycle” (production of nuclear fuel), essentially contaminated by alpha emitters. In 2016, Orano submitted a file to ASN and ASND, which was supplemented in 2017, presenting its decommissioning and waste management strategy for the group’s French facilities, and its practical implementation on the La Hague and Tricastin sites. Moreover, Orano submitted general and particular commitments for the La Hague and Tricastin sites in 2018. ASN issued a position statement on the strategy on 14 February 2022. Orano sent ASN further information in 2022 and 2023, in response to ASN’s various requests in its letter of 14 February 2022. This information is currently being reviewed by ASN. The issues and challenges The main issues relating to the management of waste from the licensee Orano are: ∙ The safety of the legacy waste storage facilities. On the La Hague site, the facilities dedicated to legacy waste retrieval, conditioning and storage have to be designed, built and then commissioned. These projects are encountering technical difficulties which can make it necessary to adjust deadlines set by ASN (see chapter 14). Furthermore, the radioactive waste on-site storage capacities must be anticipated with conservative margins in order to prevent premature saturation. The legacy waste stored on the Tricastin site necessitates a large amount of work to characterise it and find management solutions. The storage conditions in some of the Tricastin site facilities do not meet current safety requirements and must be improved. ∙ The definition of solutions for waste packaging, in particular the legacy waste. The packaging procedures for radioactive waste require the prior approval of ASN in accordance with Article 6.7 of the Order of 7 February 2012 (see point 2.2.2). Compliance with the packaging deadlines is a particularly important aspect, which requires the development of characterisation programmes to demonstrate the feasibility of the chosen packaging processes and to identify sufficiently early the risks that could significantly affect the corresponding projects. If necessary, when the feasibility of the defined packaging cannot be determined within times compatible with the prescribed deadlines, the licensee must plan for an alternative solution, including in particular interim storage ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2023 381 • 15 • Radioactive waste and contaminated sites and soils 15 05 08 11 04 14 06 07 13 AP 03 10 02 09 12 01
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