Radioactive waste disposalsclassification, gov. regulations, perspectives in Poland

Michał Skrzycki

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Content

• Radioactive wastes classification and management,

• state of art – UE, Poland,

• VLLW Landfills – location policy, technology, technical requirements,

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RA Waste classification - Poland

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RA Waste classification - EU (Fr)

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Very Low Level Waste

• Has radioactivity close to naturallyoccuring in environment,

• Low radiation type: beta and gamma, alpha -

• Low heat emission, • Comes from dismantling of nuclear

facilities and industrial plants, whichinvolves in production cycle usage of naturally radioactive materials,(this definition varies between EU and Poland)

• Standard solution: on-surfacedisposal with wastes compaction,

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Low Level Waste - Long Lived(OPNA)

• Comes from dismantling first nuclear plants, instalation gearusing isotops,

Long-Lived:

• (PL) : depends on radioactivitylevel (400kBq/kg)

• (EU): e.g. fire detectors, lighting conductors, graphite-moderatedgas-cooled reactors (dismantling)

• Standard solution: variesdepending on country.

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Low Level Waste Disposal

Type: LONG LIVED

EU (e.g. France)

Near surface disposal facilities(at ground level):

Centre de l’Aube

Near surface disposal facilitiesin caverns (below ground

level):

Olkiluoto and Loviisa power stations ~100m below

Poland

*Might be deposed in groundlevel surface disposals, but must guarantee full isolationduring 500years

* geological, deep disposal

(EU: max. 50 years)

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Intermediate Level Waste (ILW, OPSA):

• Characterized by medium Beta and Gamma-typeradiation, high Alpha-type,

• Large waste amountcome from active NP., shells from recycled fueltanks, equipment,

• Disposal: currently under study, e.g. France –surface reinforcedconcrete cells,

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High Level Waste

• High alpha, beta and gamma-type radiation,

• High heat emission,

• Over 80% of HLW is produced by NuclearEnergy Industry,

• Due to very unstable parameters, vulnerableto environment, most common disposal is„deep type” (technology may vary, depend on ground/rock conditions).

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Radioactive Wastes Management

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ElectronuclearIndustry,

Medicine, Research

Sorting

Conditioning (LLW)

Transport (fromsmall scale

nuclear waste production

units)

Sorting – VLLW, OPNA, OPWA

Inspection of packages

Treatment(compaction, solidification)

Monitoring of parameters in

disposal

Closure of disposalficility

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State of Art: Poland

• Two nuclear reactors: MARIA and EWA (1st reactor, 1958-1995), located in Świerk,

• One National Radioactive Waste DisposalFacility in Różan,

• Disposal is managed by Zakład Unieszkodliwiania Odpadów Promieniotwórczych

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State of Art: Poland 2

• First plans of nuclear power plant was invented in80’s, stopped in 90’s due to public opinion, finances and Soviet Un-Stable Technology (Charnobyl), Location: Żarnowiec

• Currently, „green light” for nuclear energy is givenby government,

• „Energetic policy of Poland untill 2030” consist a projection of two nuclear power plants,

• Propably location of new: Żarnowiec and Klempicz,• Consortium of PGE-EDF Energie de France

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State of Art: Poland 3

• In connection to buildingof Power Plants, theremust be build newdisposal facilities,

• In late 70’s the feasibilitystudy on deep disposalwas started,

• There were many conceptions of waste deposition,

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•layered salt strata Łeba, cechsztyńskie złoże soli pokładowych, 700m ppt, 200m thick,•Due to hazard of agressive behaviour of sweet water, projectwas abandoned,• since 1999 WIPP Project in New Mexicois running,

Non-salt Rocks:

• In 1978 the feasibility study was started on deep disposal facility in Non-Salt Rocks,

• Project considered location of HLW in crystalrocks, about 500-1000m below ground level.

• New locations: Land of Białystok,

• Conception uses rocks of crystal ground

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Międzyrzecz (MRU)

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Waste Disposal Facility location:

• Cannot be located on terrain endangered with:– Often floods with propability of wave bigger than 500

years,– Seismic activity – natural or induced by men,– Rock bedding movements,– Nearby metropolies, points of cult, – Water safety zones,– Mining areas,

• Landfills (on surface disposals) cannot be build:– Under groundwater table,– Close to the rivers (below river table),

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Choose of disposal facility location:

• Society and economical conditions with specialconcernes about:– Demography,– Ownership,– Cultural values and estetics,– „Economical Bill”,– „Index of Emotions”

• Geographical conditions:– Geological structure and its evolution,– Geomorphology,– Hydrogeological conditions,

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VLLW Landfill Construction

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• Consist of single or multiple chasis for waste deposition,

• Is projected (Fr) for usage about 50-100 years,• Large problem with mineral capcover

settlements and parameters changes in time (with changing water content),

Radioactive waste disposalsclassification, gov. regulations, perspectives…

Thank you for attention,from time to time ;)

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Definitions - 1

• Isotopes – differenttypes of atoms of thesame chemical element, with different numberof neutrons, but havingsame atomic number

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Definitions - 2• 1 Bq – SI derived unit of radioactivity, it is defined as a

activity of a quantity of radioactive waste material in whichone nucleus decays per second,

• Previously used derived unit: 1Ci (Kiur)=39E9BqTypes of radiation: • ALPHA – cannot penetrate the skin, can be blocked by a

sheet of paper, but is dangerous in the lung,• BETA – can penetrate into the body but can be blocked by a

sheet of alluminium foil,• GAMMA – can go right through the body, requires several

cm of concrete, or ~1m of water, to block it

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Bibliography:

1. B. Nielubowicz, Odpady Promieniotwórcze – Wstępne badania i analizy wybory lokalizacji składowiska.

2. Instytut Techniki Budowlanej; Instrukcje, Wytyczne, Poradniki – nr 339/2003: Badania gruntów do budowy przesłon izolacyjnych na składowiskach odpadów, Warszawa 2003.

3. Instytut Techniki Budowlanej; Instrukcje, Wytyczne, Poradniki – nr 411/2005: Badania gruntów i kontrola jakości wykonanych z nich przesłon izolacyjnych na składowiskach odpadów, Warszawa 2005.

4. Instytut Techniki Budowlanej; Instrukcje, Wytyczne, Poradniki – nr 444/2009: Zasady budowy składowisk odpadów.

5. ANDRA Activity report: Fostering dialogue and outreach, Paris2008.

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