Review Article

Developments and experiences of the CHANCE, MICADO and PREDIS projects in radioactive waste characterization

¹ MICADO Project Coordinator, CAEN s.p.a., Via Vetraia N.11, 55049 Viareggio, Italy
² Orano DS, Etablissement de Bagnols-sur-Cèze, RN 580 – ZA de l’Euze, 30200 Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France
³ SCK CEN, Belgian Nuclear Research Center, Boeretang 200, B-2400 Mol, Belgium
⁴ CEA CADARACHE, Bâtiment 224, F-13108 Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance, France
⁵ Andra, 1-7, Rue Jean-Monnet, 92298 Châtenay-Malabry Cedex, France
⁶ Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und-prüfung (BAM), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany

^* e-mail: m.morichi@caen.it

Received: 28 July 2022
Received in final form: 26 October 2022
Accepted: 10 November 2022
Published online: 14 February 2023

Abstract

Characterization is a very important step in dealing with materials and waste streams generated during the operational and decommissioning phases of nuclear installations, including nuclear power plants. Characterization allows differentiation between materials that can be released from regulatory control and those that require further treatment and conditioning to become a stable waste form suitable for future storage and final disposal according to its waste classification. Characterization is also needed in the pre-disposal stages of radioactive waste management to demonstrate compliance with the waste acceptance criteria of the facilities that will accept the different waste forms. This work will present the strategies developed and implemented by the three projects for in-depth and accurate waste characterization and investigation of the different radioactive waste packages considered. CHANCE, MICADO, and PREDIS will present their goals, the methods developed, the technologies used and the (preliminary) results contributing to the improvement of the safety and the data and information quality of the waste packages analyzed at the different stages of the waste management process. Special emphasis will also be given to complementary approaches highlighting the usability of the technologies, the accessibility of the data, and the problem-solving of the three projects within the European panorama.