OVERVIEW OF THE MANAGEMENT OF

RADIOACTIVE WASTE IN SOUTH AFRICA

BY:ALAN CAROLISSEN

Senior Manager: Nuclear Liabilities Management (NLM)

PRESENTATION TO 3rd NUCLEAR INDUSTRY CONGRESS AFRICA 3rd FEBRUARY 2016

Content

Background Legislative and Regulatory Framework for Radwaste

Management Waste classification, origin and management options Pre-Disposal of Radioactive Waste Disposal of Radioactive Waste Used (Spent) Nuclear Fuel Management Key Challenges Concluding Remarks Q&A

Background

THANK YOU

Overarching Objective Of Radwaste Management

to deal with radioactive waste in a manner that protects human health and the environment now and in the future without imposing undue burdens on future generations.

Legislative and Regulatory Framework

Legislative and Regulatory Framework

Approved by Cabinet andpublished in Nov 2005

Preparation of legislation forimplementation

Radwaste Fund

National Committee on Radioactive Waste Management

Radwaste Institute (NRWDI)

Implementation within 5 years (Nov 2010)

Radwaste Management Framework

Waste origins, Waste Classification and Management Options

Past Strategic Programs

Uranium Enrichment

Fuel fabrication

Weapons programme

Current Nuclear Programs

SAFARI-1 RESEARCH REACTOR KOEBERG NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

Waste Classification and Management Options

HLW ILW LLW VLLW VSLW

REGULATORY ASPECTS TECHNOLOGY OPTIONS

ECONOMICS SOCIETAL ISSUES

MANAGEMENT OPTIONS TREATMENT & DISPOSAL

SAFETY PRINCIPLES AND REQUIREMENTS

PRE-DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE

WASTE

Decommissioning

BEFORE

During Decommissioning

Decommissioning Completed

Now Reuse as Waste Store

Decontamination Facility

Decontamination

TV COILS IN D BUILDING CONTAMINATED PIPES

Decontamination

AFTER DECONTAMINATION

PELSTORE - MAIN WASTE STORAGE FACILITY

25

26

VOLUME REDUCTION FACILITY

VOLUME REDUCTION FACILITY

Used Fuel Management In SA

WET STORAGE DRY STORAGE

Disposal of Low Level Waste at Vaalputs

Low Level Waste Disposal Repository: Vaalputs

Commissioning of Vaalputs

Site selection completed in 1985 Site operating license granted in 1986 First waste shipment arrived in November

1986 Only solidified or solid low level waste are

disposed off.

33

Red sand 0,5 m

Red clay 10m

White clay 5m

Weathered granite 3m

Fresh granite up to 100m

Aquifer

Disposal Concept

Monitoring pipe

Natural Clay

5.2

m

8.0

m

Drainage layer 200mm

Backfill

Compacted clay cap

Natural cover

Top soil

Waste packages

50 m

Shallow Land Disposal (SLD)

Near surface trenches for LLW

Typical near surface trench

6m

3m

1.5m

3m

X m

Types of Waste Dispose

LLW in metal containers

LLW in concretecontainers

Spent fuel racks

Receiving Waste

Rehabilated Trench

Multi-Stakeholder Forum Meetings

Building Stakeholder Capacity

Building Stakeholder Capacity

Embracing Best Practices

ISO 9001 ACCREDITATION ISO 14001 ACCREDITATION

Nuclear Science &Technology Education Programme

44

Schools Outreach Programme National Science Week Brochures & Posters Tours & Visit Science and Math's

Educator

KEY CHALLENGES

Key Challenges

Deepening and Strengthening of Stakeholder Confidence and Trust

Nuclear (waste) is an Emotional Issue

In nuclear (waste) business, peoples perceptions are driven by their fears.

Fears caused by memories/perceptions of: Nuclear bomb explosions Nuclear reactor accidents Health effects associated

Cancer Genetic birth effects

https://nucleus.necsa.co.za/Corporate/News/Image%20Library/ELA%20Protest%20against%20Necsa/Portfolio%20Comm%20272.jpghttps://nucleus.necsa.co.za/Corporate/News/Image%20Library/ELA%20Protest%20against%20Necsa/Portfolio%20Comm%20272.jpg

48

Meriting Trust & Stakeholder Participation

The disposal strategy and concept is technically sound, however societal acceptance is at best non-existent

Canadian Regulatory committee 1986

The greatest single obstacle that a successful waste management programme must overcome is the severe erosion of public confidence

US Office of Technology Assessment 1982

Key Challenges

Management of Used (Spent) Nuclear Fuel and High Level Waste

Used Fuel Management Options

Off-site above ground Centralized Interim Storage Facility

Reprocessing, conditioning & recycling

Direct disposal

Transmutation

Used Nuclear Fuel Strategies

At reactor storage + off-site storage

At reactor storage+ off-site storage+ direct disposal

At reactor storage+ reprocessing/recycling + disposal

At reactor storage+ off-site storage+

reprocessing/recycling + disposal

Centralized Long Term Off-site Storage Facility

Deep Geological Repository

Enapsulation and DisposalFuel pellet of

uranium dioxide

Spent nuclear

fuel

Cladding tube

Copper canister with cast-iron

insert

Bedrock

Bentonite clay

Geological repositoryfor spent nuclear fuel

Encapsulation and Disposal Facilities

Source: SKB IC, 2008

CONCLUDING REMARKS

Concluding Remarks

Current radioactive waste management practises are in line with international best practise and in some cases like the disposal of low level at Vaalputs, we are the GLOBAL leader

Vaalputs can easily accommodate the additional projected Low Level Waste inventory stemming from the envisaged new build programme

Regardless of the chosen UNF Strategy, the following technical outcomes are inescapable: Centralized Long Term Off-site Storage Facility is

required (2025) Deep Geological Repository is required (2065)

Concluding Remarks

Many countries have adopted dry cask UNF storage as an interim strategy in the absence of a deep geological repository. Recent Fukushima event heightened public concern about long term onsite storage in pools / dry casks.

The Vaalputs site is a candidate site for the establishment of the above ground off-site centralised interim dry storage facility for used nuclear fuel as well as for hosting the deep geological repository.

Develop and implement a comprehensive communication strategy and plan to (1) demystify and decipher the publics fears regarding the management of radioactive waste and (2) to deepen and strengthen stakeholder acceptance, confidence and trust.

Biggest challenge of any radwaste management related activity is to ensure societal and political acceptance.

To ensure societal and political acceptance

Make communication, public participation and stakeholder engagement

Part of your RadioactiveWaste Management DNA !!!

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60

Thank You !!!Baie Dankie !!!Re ya leboga !!!

Siyabonga !!!

OVERVIEW OF THE MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE IN SOUTH AFRICAby:Alan CarolissenSenior Manager: Nuclear Liabilities Management (NLM)ContentBackground THANK YOUOverarching Objective Of Radwaste ManagementLegislative and Regulatory FrameworkLegislative and Regulatory FrameworkRadwaste Management FrameworkWaste origins, Waste Classification and Management OptionsPast Strategic ProgramsCurrent Nuclear ProgramsWaste Classification and Management Options PRE-DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE DecommissioningSlide Number 15Slide Number 16During DecommissioningDecommissioning CompletedNow Reuse as Waste StoreDecontamination FacilityDecontaminationDecontaminationSlide Number 23Slide Number 24Slide Number 25Slide Number 26Slide Number 27Slide Number 28Used Fuel Management In SADisposal of Low Level Waste at Vaalputs Low Level Waste Disposal Repository: VaalputsCommissioning of VaalputsSlide Number 33Slide Number 34Types of Waste DisposeReceiving WasteSlide Number 37Slide Number 38Rehabilated TrenchMulti-Stakeholder Forum MeetingsBuilding Stakeholder CapacityBuilding Stakeholder CapacityEmbracing Best PracticesNuclear Science &Technology Education ProgrammeKEY CHALLENGES Key ChallengesNuclear (waste) is an Emotional IssueSlide Number 48Meriting Trust & Stakeholder ParticipationKey ChallengesUsed Fuel Management OptionsUsed Nuclear Fuel StrategiesCentralized Long Term Off-site Storage FacilityDeep Geological RepositoryCONCLUDING REMARKSConcluding RemarksConcluding RemarksTo ensure societal and political acceptanceSlide Number 59Slide Number 60