[en] Disposal is inevitable for sustainable radioactive waste management. In line with the 12th Malaysia Plan and the National Policy on Science, Technology and Innovation 2021-2030, application of science, technology and innovation is emphasized in providing solutions for socio-economic issues and national interests, where in this regards, the ultimate goal of radioactive waste management is to ensure safety and health of people and the environment is protected. The development of a disposal facility spans on a long time frame, and therefore calls for short, middle and long-term planning. Besides the technicality aspect, political, economic and social standing impose strong influences towards a successful implementation of a radioactive waste disposal project. In the past, Malaysia has had witnessed the struggle to balance these non-technical components. This paper looks into the past, present and future planning of a national repository facility in Malaysia and the key role of the Malaysian Nuclear Agency in this endeavor. (author)

No abstract available

[en] The Waste Technology Development Centre (WasTeC) of the Malaysian Nuclear Agency has accepted discharge effluent from the mineral processing plant for treatment since 2019. Approximately 6 m³ of effluent has been collected in tank 3A of the Low-Level Effluent Treatment Plant (LLETP). Effluent from the mineral processing plant is of alpha emitter and differs from the type currently treated at the facility. This study aims to develop an optimum treatment parameter using coagulation-flocculation process at laboratory scale to satisfy discharge limits set by the regulator such as gross alpha radioactivity, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and chemical conductivity. However, in this study, only radioactivity was successfully reduced, while the chemical treatment has in turn increased the other two parameters. (author)

[en] Since 1976 the Austrian Research Centre Seibersdorf has the task to collect, treat and store radioactive waste (Radwaste) arising in Austria. Within the Department of Waste Management a variety of appropriate treatment systems are installed. For storing unconditioned and conditioned waste proper storage-halls are available. The collection of Radwaste is carried out using 100 l drums, for the conditioned waste the 200 l drum concept is used. The interim storage of conditioned waste is done at Seibersdorf until a final repository is built. The present plan foresees one to be in operation at the year 2012. (author)

[en] The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has established the Mixed Waste Focus Area (MWFA), which represents a national effort to develop and coordinate treatment solutions for mixed waste among all DOE facilities. The hazardous waste component of mixed waste is regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), while the radioactive component is regulated under the Atomic Energy Act, as implemented by the DOE, making mixed waste one of the most complex types of waste for the DOE to manage. The MWFA has the mission to support technologies that meet the needs of the DOE's waste management efforts to characterize, treat, and dispose of mixed waste being generated and stored throughout the DOE complex. The technologies to be supported must meet all regulatory requirements, provide cost and risk improvements over available technologies, and be acceptable to the public. The most notable features of the DOE's mixed-waste streams are the wide diversity of waste matrices, volumes, radioactivity levels, and RCRA-regulated hazardous contaminants. Table 1-1 is constructed from data from the proposed site treatment plans developed by each DOE site and submitted to DOE Headquarters. The table shows the number of mixed-waste streams and their corresponding volumes. This table illustrates that the DOE has a relatively small number of large-volume mixed-waste streams and a large number of small-volume mixed-waste streams. There are 1,033 mixed-waste streams with volumes less than 1 cubic meter; 1,112 mixed-waste streams with volumes between 1 and 1,000 cubic meters; and only 61 mixed-waste streams with volumes exceeding 1,000 cubic meters

[en] In 1997 Nirex failed to obtain planning permission to build an underground laboratory (Rock Characterization Facility) near the Sellafield nuclear site in Cumbria, North-West England. This stopped the UK's deep disposal programme. Since then there has been much discussion on how the UK should take the issue of long-term radioactive waste management forward. As part of its contribution to the ongoing debate, Nirex needed to reassess how its role in finding a long-term solution could be better played given its history. It has been suggested that the processes required to deal with such a contentious issue, the conduct of individuals and the structural relationships between organizations, all need to change if any progress is to be made. Specifically, one of the difficulties of the past was the lack of a mechanism to allow all stakeholders and the public to clearly see what had been decided and for what reasons. Nirex believes that central to these changes needs to be a strong ethical framework based on transparency. In order to assess the impact of these initiatives and its performance against them, Nirex commissioned (in 2001) an independent assessment of views from different stakeholder groups. The results of this assessment are presented. In summary, this showed that there is widespread support for these policies and the approach to increased focus on dialogue with stakeholders. In this latter respect, the way in which Nirex is now operating allows the stakeholders to have a direct access to, and influence on, its work programme and this is described

[en] Radioactive/hazardous mixed waste ('mixed waste') has been subject to dual regulation under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act ('RCRA') and the Atomic Energy Act ('AEA') since July, 1986. In these eight years, commercial NRC licensees have established a strong case that dual regulation is unnecessarily burdensome and redundant and that a tailored program combining select elements of RCRA and the AEA is the most appropriate course of regulatory action for these unique materials. Despite sympathetic acknowledgement from regulators that this strategy makes sense, mixed waste remains subject to dual regulation with little prospect for substantial relief in the immediate future. Recognizing that amending the regulatory status quo is a slow and tedious process, the paper will focus on management options available under the current RCRA and AEA programs for removing mixed waste from the most onerous elements of the present regime. This discussion will explore methods available under the existing hazardous waste rules for avoiding the most draconian elements of RCRA's hazardous waste program, including management options that are exempt from RCRA's permitting program and treatment options that are available to remove certain mixed wastes from hazardous waste regulation. The paper also will discuss potential options available under the NRC program for removing certain byproducts from the requirement that they be managed at NRC licensed facilities, thus creating new alternatives for off-site treatment and disposal

[en] The objective of this study is to develop the advanced solidification methods for the toxic lead oxide contained in radioactive wastes and to examine their chemical durability in terms of leachability and surface alteration; the solidification characteristics and leachability for the following three kinds of solidified products immobilizing lead were examined, and the experimental results were summarized as follows. (a) Mineral solidified products: A-zeolite or fly ash (FA) was used as a binder, and NaAlO₂ and Na₂SiO₃ were mixed as additives. The leachability of lead ions in pure water was considerably lowered by the heat treatment at higher temperature (1,000 degree C), and the concentration of lead ions leached was under criterion value of 0.3 mg/l. The products prepared by mixing A-zeolite and fly ash also had low leachability under 0.3 mg/l even in the saturated Ca(OH)2 solution. (b) Melted solidified products: A-zeolite or fly ash was used as a binder and glass-forming reagents of B₂O₃ and NaH₂PO₄ were used as additives. The XRD peaks assigned PbO were not observed in all products. The products for the mixtures of FA:NaH₂PO₄:PbO (2:2:1 and 3:1:1) had low leachability under criterion value in both leachants of deionized water and saturated Ca(OH)₂ solution. (c) Phosphate ceramics products: the chemically bonded phosphate ceramics were produced by using MgKPO₄, MgHPO₄, Zr(HPO₄)₂, potassium iron phosphate and sodium iron phosphate, and FA was used as additives. In particular, by using MgHPO₄, the leachability of the products was lowered less than 0.3 mg/l in both leachants. The phosphate ceramics products and melted solidified products are favorable as the waste solid forms immobilizing lead. In particular, novel ceramics products have advantages in the simple solidification procedure similarly to the cement products. As for mineral solidification, natural zeolites and FA as binder also useful from the viewpoint of cost efficiency, effective utilization of industrial wastes and enhancement of the environmental remediation. (Author)

[en] The introduction consists of invited literature to the Second regional meeting on Nuclear Energy in central Europe describing the USA nuclear waste practice and policy

[en] Short communication