Agenda 21
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Chapter 22. Safe and Environmentally Sound Management of Radioactive
Wastes
Programme Area
Promoting the safe and environmentally sound management of radioactive wastes
Basis for action
22.1. Radioactive wastes are generated in the nuclear fuel cycle as well as in nuclear
applications (the use of radionuclides in medicine, research and industry). The
radiological and safety risk from radioactive wastes varies from very low in short-lived,
low-level wastes up to very large for high-level wastes. Annually about 200,000 m3 of
low-level and intermediate-level waste and 10,000 m3 of high-level waste (as well as spent
nuclear fuel destined for final disposal) is generated world wide from nuclear power
production. These volumes are increasing as more nuclear power units are taken into
operation, nuclear facilities are decommissioned and the use of radionuclides increases.
The high-level waste contains about 99 per cent of the radionuclides and thus represents
the largest radiological risk. The waste volumes from nuclear applications are generally
much smaller, typically some tens of cubic metres or less per year and country. However,
the activity concentration, especially in sealed radiation sources, might be high, thus
justifying very stringent radiological protection measures. The growth of waste volumes
should continue to be kept under close review.
22.2. The safe and environmentally sound management of radioactive wastes, including
their minimization, transportation and disposal, is important, given their
characteristics. In most countries with a substantial nuclear power programme, technical
and administrative measures have been taken to implement a waste management system. In
many other countries still only in preparation for a national nuclear programme or having
only nuclear applications, such systems are still needed.
Objective
22.3. The objective of this programme area is to ensure that radioactive wastes are
safely managed, transported, stored and disposed of, with a view to protecting human
health and the environment, within a wider framework of an interactive and integrated
approach to radioactive waste management and safety.
Activities
(a) Management-related activities
22.4. States, in cooperation with relevant international organizations, where
appropriate, should:
(a) Promote policies and practical measures to minimize and limit, where appropriate,
the generation of radioactive wastes and provide for their safe processing, conditioning,
transportation and disposal;
(b) Support efforts within IAEA to develop and promulgate radioactive waste safety
standards or guidelines and codes of practice as an internationally accepted basis for the
safe and environmentally sound management and disposal of radioactive wastes;
(c) Promote safe storage, transportation and disposal of radioactive wastes, as well as
spent radiation sources and spent fuel from nuclear reactors destined for final disposal,
in all countries, in particular in developing countries, by facilitating the transfer of
relevant technologies to those countries and/or the return to the supplier of radiation
sources after their use, in accordance with relevant international regulations or
guidelines;
(d) Promote proper planning, including environmental impact assessment where
appropriate, of safe and environmentally sound management of radioactive waste, including
emergency procedures, storage, transportation and disposal, prior to and after activities
that generate such waste.
(b) International and regional cooperation and coordination
22.5. States, in cooperation with relevant international organizations, where
appropriate, should:
(a) Strengthen their efforts to implement the Code of Practice on the Transboundary
Movements of Radioactive Waste and, under the auspices of IAEA, in cooperation with
relevant international organizations dealing with different modes of transport, keep the
question of such movements under active review, including the desirability of concluding a
legally binding instrument;
(b) Encourage the London Dumping Convention to expedite work to complete studies on
replacing the current voluntary moratorium on disposal of low-level radioactive wastes at
sea by a ban, taking into account the precautionary approach, with a view to taking a well
informed and timely decision on the issue;
(c) Not promote or allow the storage or disposal of high-level, intermediate-level and
low-level radioactive wastes near the marine environment unless they determine that
scientific evidence, consistent with the applicable internationally agreed principles and
guidelines, shows that such storage or disposal poses no unacceptable risk to people and
the marine environment or does not interfere with other legitimate uses of the sea,
making, in the process of consideration, appropriate use of the concept of the
precautionary approach;
(d) Not export radioactive wastes to countries that, individually or through
international agreements, prohibit the import of such wastes, such as the contracting
parties to the Bamako Convention on the Ban of the Import into Africa and the Control of
Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes within Africa, the fourth Lom Convention
or other relevant conventions, where such prohibition is provided for;
(e) Respect, in accordance with international law, the decisions, as far as applicable
to them, taken by parties to other relevant regional environmental conventions dealing
with other aspects of safe and environmentally sound management of radioactive wastes.
Means of implementation
(a) Financing and cost evaluation
22.6. The costs at the national level of managing and disposing of radioactive wastes
are considerable and will vary, depending on the technology used for disposal.
22.7. The Conference secretariat has estimated the average total annual cost
(1993-2000) to international organizations to implement the activities of this programme
to be about $8 million. Actual costs and financial terms, including any that are
non-concessional, will depend upon, inter alia, the specific strategies and programmes
Governments decide upon for implementation.
(b) Scientific and technological means
22.8. States, in cooperation with international organizations, where appropriate,
should:
(a) Promote research and development of methods for the safe and environmentally sound
treatment, processing and disposal, including deep geological disposal, of high-level
radioactive waste;
(b) Conduct research and assessment programmes concerned with evaluating the health and
environmental impact of radioactive waste disposal. (c) Capacity-building, including human
resource development
22.9. States, in cooperation with relevant international organizations, should provide,
as appropriate, assistance to developing countries to establish and/or strengthen
radioactive waste management infrastructures, including legislation, organizations,
trained manpower and facilities for the handling, processing, storage and disposal of
wastes generated from nuclear applications.
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