Low-level radioactive waste: ASN organised an international seminar on the safety of disposal facilities

From 3^rd to 5^th February 2015, ASN organised an international workshop on the safety of low-level radioactive waste¹disposal facilities. This workshop is held at the initiative of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). It attracted about 70 experts, representing nuclear industry licensees and members of Safety Regulators from 32 countries. On 6^th February 2015, it was followed by a visit to the surface radioactive waste disposal facility of the Aube repository (CSA) and the industrial centre for grouping, storage and disposal (CIRES), operated by ANDRA in the Aube département.

This seminar was an opportunity to take a look at the facilities either in service or planned in various countries and responsible for managing low-level waste. The experts present discussed their operating experience feedback and best practices associated with these types of facilities. The seminar tackled the following subjects in particular:

• application of the safety principles (defence in depth, optimisation principle, etc.) to disposal facilities;
• the methodology used for safety demonstrations over very long time-scales, with the inclusion of the associated uncertainties;
• institutional controls on the site and monitoring of the facility after its closure;
• public involvement in the various phases of the licensing process, during operation and then during monitoring of the facility.

Working groups on specific topics (risks of intentional intrusion, surface disposal, etc.) will continue to discuss these subjects, under the guidance of IAEA.