Two methodological approaches for radioactive waste (RAW) certification used in RAW management systems in Italy and France, are addressed. Their applicability was assessed in solving certification problem of historical waste accumulated at the Chornobyl NPP in comparison with the standard methods recommended by the IAEA. Testing new methodological approaches was carried out on the example of solid RAW (SRW) of operational origin, which were previously studied for the content of 24 radionuclides within their composition. The procedures for testing researchable methods have used the criteria for SRW acceptance for burial valid in SRW Treatment Plant, which met their current provisions and those ones planned for approval. It was established that the use of quantitative criteria applied in the algorithms of studied methodological approaches for radwaste certification can significantly reduce overestimation degree of summary activity of waste packages by way of removing from the list of difficult-to-measure radionuclides, whose presence can be neglected in view of negligible risk of exceeding the activity limits established for them. The methodological approaches addressed in this work allow optimizing radionuclide contents subject to mandatory measurement, or calculated determination of their activity in waste packages, and can be recommended to solve the problems when characterizing ChNPP’s historical waste transported for their final disposal.
Ground-water hydrology and subsurface migration of radioisotopes at a low-level solid radioactive-waste disposal site, West Valley, New York
