Storage and disposal of radioactive waste in Romania
According to “Fundamental Norms on Safe Management of Radioactive Waste (NDR-01)” issued by the National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN), the stream of radioactive waste includes of a storage stage and a disposal stage.
Storage of radioactive waste involves maintaining the radioactive waste such that:
- isolation, environmental protection and monitoring are provided;
- actions involving, for example, treatment, conditioning and disposal are facili tated.
In some cases, storage may be practised for primarily technical considerations, such as:
- storage of radioactive waste containing mainly short lived radionuclides for decay and subsequent release within authorized limits,
- storage of high level radioactive waste for thermal considerations prior to geological disposal.
According to the law, the direct liability for the storage of radioactive waste relies on waste producers.
Disposal is the final step in the radioactive waste management system. It consists mainly of the emplacement of radioactive waste in a disposal facility with reasonable assurance for safety, without the intention of retrieval and without reliance on long term surveillance and maintenance. This safety is mainly achieved by concentration and containment which involves the isolation of suitably conditioned radio active waste in a disposal facility.
The liability for radioactive waste disposal, including the activities of siting, designing, construction, operation, closure and post-closure monitoring of final repositories, relies on the Nuclear Agency & Radioactive Waste.