Sources and types of radioactive waste
The radioactive waste mainly result from three types of activities:
A. uranium ores mining and milling
1. radioactive waste from mining and processing of uranium ore
B. production of electricity by nuclear
1. spent nuclear fuel resulting from the operation of energetic nuclear reactors
2. radioactive waste from nuclear fuel fabrication and operation of energetic nuclear reactors
3. radioactive waste arising from decommissioning of the nuclear facilities from energy field
C. institutional activities (nuclear technology and techniques applications in medicine, industry, agriculture and research)
1. spent nuclear fuel resulting from operation of the research nuclear reactors
2. radioactive waste from operation of the research nuclear reactors
3. radioactive waste from the production and use of radionuclides
4. radioactive waste from decommissioning of nuclear facilities in the institutional field
5. sealed sources used
The main generators of radioactive waste in Romania and types of waste generated by them are shown in the table below:
| 1 | National Company Nuclearelectrica SA (SNN) | |
| 1.1 | Nuclear Power Plant Cernavoda Branch (1st and 2nd Unit) | |
| – spent nuclear fuel bundles resulting from the operation of 2 CANDU nuclear power reactors (B.1.) – radioactive waste (solid, liquid, mixed) resulting from the operation and maintenance of 2 CANDU nuclear power reactors (B.2.) |
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| 1.2 | FCN Piteşti Branch | |
| – radioactive waste (solid and liquid) resulting from the production of CANDU type nuclear fuel (B.2.) | ||
| 2 | „Horia Hulubei” National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering” (IFIN-HH) | |
| – spent nuclear fuel assemblies resulting from the operation of VVR-S nuclear research reactor (C.1.) – radioactive waste (liquid, solid, spent sealed sources) generated by nuclear and radiological facilities from IFIN-HH (C.2., C.3., C.5.) – radioactive waste resulting from the decommissioning of VVR-S nuclear research reactor (C.4.) |
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| 3 | Romanian Authority for Nuclear Activities (RAAN) | |
| 3.1 | Nuclear Research Branch Piteşti (SCN) | |
| – spent nuclear fuel elements resulting from the operation of TRIGA nuclear research reactor (C.1.) – radioactive waste (solid, liquid, spent sealed sources) generated by nuclear and radiological facilities from SCN (C.2., C.3., C.5.) |
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| 4 | National Uranium Company SA (CNU) | |
| 4.1 | Feldioara Branch | |
| – radioactive sludge resulting from the uranium ore processing (A.1.) – solid radioactive waste generated by nuclear/radiological facilities of the branch (A.1.) |
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| 4.2 | Suceava, Banat and Bihor Branches | |
| – sterile and radioactive rocks resulting from the uranium ores research and extraction activities (A.1.) | ||
| 5 | Other generators (minor) of radioactive waste across Romania | |
| 5.1 | Medicine, industry, agriculture… | |
| – radioactive waste (solid, liquid, spent sealed sources) generated by nuclear and radiological facilities from hospitals, factories, laboratories (C.2., C.3., C.5.) | ||