Regular Article

Predisposal Radioactive Waste Management (PREDIS) Project Final Achievements and Impacts Overview

¹ VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Tekniikantie 21 Espoo 02150 Finland
² National Nuclear Laboratory Warrington United Kingdom
³ European Commission, Joint Research Centre Karlsruhe Germany
⁴ Subatech Laboratory (IMT Atlantique, CNRS/IN2P3, Nantes University) 44300 Nantes France
⁵ CEA, Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, DES, ISEC, DPME 30200 Marcoule France
⁶ SCK CEN, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre Boeretang 200 2400 Mol Belgium
⁷ BAM, Bundesanstalt Fuer Materialforschung und Pruefung Berlin Germany

^* e-mail: erika.holt@vtt.fi

Received: 16 November 2024
Received in final form: 6 May 2025
Accepted: 3 June 2025
Published online: 24 July 2025

Abstract

The PREDIS project on Predisposal of Radioactive Waste has succeeded in developing and implementing new methods, processes and technologies for treatment of challenging low-level waste (LLW) and intermediate level waste (ILW) streams. Over the 4-year duration, this Euratom project of 47 partners from 17 Member States has worked in close collaboration with 25 End User industrial members to advance the technologies associated with predisposal issues. This has included characterisation followed by treatment, conditioning and processing of metallics, liquid organic and solid organic wastes as well as with digitalization technologies for assessing performance of concrete waste packages and pre-disposal storage. Long-term modelling and performance testing have been done to verify the safety and effectiveness of the new or enhanced solutions. Value Assessments were done for some of the new solutions to ensure implementors would have sufficient tools for making choices about the potential implementation. This included life-cycle assessment of quantitative sustainability indicators and life cycle-costing for economic indicators. This project addressed new guidance on Waste Acceptance Criteria and contributed with a revised Strategic Research Agenda to guide future predisposal activities, complimentary to the holistic waste management programme. Knowledge Management actions were also an integral part of the whole project to foster competence development and capturing knowledge. Actions included training, mobility, and guidance especially through online forums such as webinars and digital training. This paper provides a snapshot of some of the key outcomes and impacts from the project, from technical as well as strategic and knowledge perspectives.