Cordoba, Spain - 13-17 March, 2000
International Conference on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management
The Conference, organized by the Agency in March 2000, reached a number of important conclusions related to the strengthening of the Agency's work programme on technical safety aspects, but also, importantly, stressed the need for the involvement of concerned groups in the population in decisions on radioactive waste disposal.
Based on the Summary Observations and Conclusions (Findings) the outcome of the Conference was an Action Plan which was approved by the General Conference of the Agency in September 2001. The "Action Plan" gives new focus to the Agency's programme in the waste safety area and will be implemented in the coming years.
Action Plan
The plan comprises seven actions, as follows:
- Action1 - Develop a common framework for the disposal of different types of radioactive waste
- Action 2 - Assess the safety implications of the extended storage of radioactive waste and of any future reconditioning which may be necessary
- Action 3 - Promptly develop safety standards for geological disposal addressing, inter alia, issues of human intrusion, institutional control, retrievability and the content of the safety case
- Action 4 - Develop an internationally accepted and harmonized approach for controlling the removal of materials and sites from the regulatory system
- Action 5 - Develop a structured and systematic programme to ensure adequate application of the Agency's waste safety standards
- Action 6 - Explore ways to ensure that information, knowledge and skills concerning radioactive waste management are made available to future generations
- Action 7 - Develop a step-by-step programme of work aimed at addressing the broader societal dimensions of radioactive waste management, including an appropriate mechanism to advise on such a programme and assess its suitability and progress.
Work is in progress to implement the Action Plan and a progress report was made to the General Conference in September 2002.
For further information please contact D.Louvat
