Managing Higher Activity Radioactive Waste: Disposability Assessment
This page gives an overview of Disposability Assessment, its aims and how it supports the safe management of Higher Activity Radioactive Waste (HAW) in the UK.
UK regulations expect decisions on waste packaging to consider how the resulting packages will be safe for geological disposal.
The main goal of Disposability Assessment is to help waste packagers fulfil the requirements of the Waste Package Specifications (WPS) and therefore the generic Disposal System Safety Case (DSSC). This is completed on a case-by-case basis and when a proposed package is endorsed, it is adopted into the NWS knowledge base such that existing safety arguments encompass the waste packages as they have been proposed.
Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) recommends that the packaging proposals are assessed in stages from initial concept, technical development through to commissioning of the packaging process or plant. Formal approvals at each stage may be provided through the issue of a Letter of Compliance.
The waste packager requests a Disposability Assessment, based on their defined waste streams and processes. Each assessment will need collaboration between the waste packager and NWS, with the waste packager responsible for developing proposals. The information submitted to NWS to demonstrate disposability usually follows extensive engagement, to ensure the best outcome.
Disposability Assessment includes considering the potential effects of interim storage on the disposability of waste packages. However, the waste packager is responsible for the safe interim storage of waste packages and their eventual transport to a GDF.
The assessment focusses on four key areas:
- Package properties and performance assessments will determine compliance with the WPS
- Feasibility and consistency assessments will examine whether the proposal is consistent with Government policy and the generic GDF design
- Management arrangements are assessed to ensure that the expected packages and relevant records will be delivered
- Comparisons are made to the generic DSSC to demonstrate consistency
For more detail on the process and supporting documentation, email info@nuclearwasteservices.uk
See next: Managing Higher Activity Radioactive Waste: Package Assurance
See previous: Managing Higher Activity Radioactive Waste: Engagement