1. CASE STUDY OF VAALPUTS:
South Africa’s National Low
Level Waste Disposal Facility
DEEPENING AND
STRENGTHENING
STAKEHOLDER CONFIDENCE IN
RADWASTE DISPOSAL
Alan Carolissen
Senior Manager: Nuclear Liabilities Management

2. 2
Legal Framework for Radwaste in South Africa
• Approved by Cabinet in
2005
• Establishment of the
National Committee on
Radwaste (NCRWM)
• Radwaste Disposal Inst
(NRWDI)
• Radwaste Fund

3. 3
Core Objectives of Policy and Strategy
• Public and Occupational
Health and Safety
• Environmental
Protection
• Cost Effectiveness
• Safeguards and
Security

4. 4
Radwaste Framework
Radwaste Framework
Minister of
Energy
National RWM
Committee
(NNR, DOE, DPE,
DOH, DEA etc.)
Waste
Generator
On-site waste
• collection
• treatment
• packaging
• storage
• transportation
• plans
Disposal
Institute
• WAC development
• siting
• R&D
• storage
• encapsulation
• disposal
• monitoring
• execution of plans
Disposal Site
Consists of facilities
for:
• storage
• encapsulation
• disposal
W
A
C
delivers waste accepts waste
National RWM
Fund
(National Treasury,
DOE, Board of
Trustees)
evaluates, recommends plans
submits
consults
approves plans
allocates funds
requests for funds
pays user-charges
contributesfunds(levies)
plans
(c/kWh/R/m3)
issues certificates
OtherSourcesofFunds
(loans,donations,salesetc.)
sites, constructs,
operates, decoms
facilities

5. RADIOACTIVE WASTE
DISPOSAL IN SOUTH
AFRICA

6. 6
Low Level Waste Disposal Repository: Vaalputs
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Locality map of South Africa showing Vaalputs, Koeberg and Pelindaba.

8. 8
Vaalputs Commissioning
• Site selection completed in 1985
• Site operating license granted in 1986
• First waste shipment arrived in November 1986
• Only solidified or solid low level waste are
disposed off.

9. 99
Red sand – 0,5 m
Red ‘clay’ – 10m
White ‘clay’ – 5m
Weathered granite – 3m
Fresh granite up to 100m
Aquifer
9
Disposal Concept
Monitoring pipe
Natural Clay
5.2m
8.0m
Drainage layer – 200mm
Backfill
Compacted clay cap
Natural cover
Top soil
Waste packages
50m
Shallow Land Disposal (SLD)
Near surface trenches for LLW

10. Typical near surface trench
6m
3m
1.5m
3m
X m

11. 11
VAALPUTS WASTE INVENTORY
• Design capacity
- 500 000 metal waste packages
- 50 000 concrete waste packages
• Metal waste packages
- 14 699 disposed of (3% of capacity)
• Concrete waste packages
- 3 769 disposed of (8% of total capacity)

12. 12
Types of Waste:
Only Solid / Solidified Radioactive
Waste
LLW in metal containers
LLW in concrete
containers
Spent fuel racks

13. 13
RECEIVING WASTE
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16. 16
Building Stakeholder Confidence at Vaalputs:
a Case Study

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18. 18
Nuclear (waste) is an Emotional Issue…
• In nuclear (waste) business, people’s
perceptions are driven by their fears.
• Fears caused by
memories/perceptions of:
– Nuclear bomb explosions
– Nuclear reactor accidents
– Health effects associated
 Cancer
 Genetic birth effects

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20. 20
Meriting Trust & Stakeholder Participation
“The disposal strategy and concept is
technically sound, however societal
acceptance is at best non-existent”
Canadian Regulatory committee 1986
“The greatest single obstacle that a successful
waste management programme must
overcome is the severe erosion of public
confidence”
US Office of Technology Assessment 1982

21. 21
Meriting Stakeholder Participation and
Communication
“The disposal strategy and concept is
technically sound, however societal
acceptance is at best non-existent”
Canadian Regulatory committee 1986

22. 22
Communications Pre-1994
• The nuclear operating license was obtained with no
or limited public participation
• No requirement by law for public participation
• Vaalputs Communication Forum (VCF) was originally
created as a public forum for discussing community
related issues.
• During the VCF’s earlier years most of the
communication took place between Necsa and its
immediate neighbours – the sheep farmers - who
attended meetings on an intermittent basis.
• Farming related issues like control of vermin were the
top Agenda items!!!

23. 23
Communications Post-1994
Landscape pertaining to public
participation and communication
have dramatically and drastically
changed directly after the first
democratic election was held
Public participation &Communications are now legal
requirements!!!

24. 24
Communications Post-1994
• Legal requirements: Need to involve interested
and affected parties in EIA and licensing
processes.
• Regulatory requirements: NNR Act requires
establishment of Public Safety Information
Forum
• Policy requirements: Government policies &
strategies.
• Ethical requirements: Need for transparency,
openness, accountable actions & decisions and
respect for values & beliefs

25. 25
Stakeholder Confidence Post-1994
25
Heighten levels of community opposition against
the disposal of radwaste at Vaalputs
Not in my backyard syndrome
Public demanded shutdown of facility

26. 26
Paradigm Shift
Pre 1994
Post 1994

27. 27
Strategic Objective
Transforming the Vaalputs Communication
Forum (VCF) into a Multi-Stakeholder
Public Communication and Information
Forum to strengthen and deepen
stakeholder confidence and acceptance.

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Stakeholder Philosophy
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• Acknowledges that each Stakeholder grouping has it
own set of values, beliefs, needs, goals and
objectives, which may differ from those of the
organization.
• Ensure open, transparent two-way Stakeholder
communication
• Ensure the diversity and inclusivity of stakeholder
base
• Building stakeholder leverage through Corporate
Social Investments programs
• Investments in research surveys, media monitoring &
environmental scanning to ensure the organisation
remains attuned to its Stakeholder needs,
perceptions and misconceptions.

29. 29
Multi-stakeholder Forum
• Department of Energy, Dept of Environmental Affairs, Dept of
Water Affairs
• Northern Cape Provincial Government
• Mayors of the Local Municipalities (Richtersveld, Kamiesberg &
Namakhio)
• Local Councilors
• Eskom, Koeberg, iThemba Labs
• National Nuclear Regulator
• Media
• Namaqualand Action Group for Environmental Justice
• EarthLife Africa (ELA)
• Vaalputs Employees
• Namaqualand Communities
• Agricultural Association (Kliprand Agricultural Union)
• Trade Unions (NUM)

30. 30
Multi-stakeholder Forum Meetings

31. 31
Communication – Yeas
• Listen to view points and objections
• Put yourself in their position – understand
their concerns
• Answer questions directly and concisely
• Talk in layman’s terms
• Provide a way to follow up on issues that
cannot be resolved immediately
• Bring in the expertise needed to develop a
communications program
• Minimize formal presentations & speeches

32. 32
Communication – Neas
• Don’t be judgmental
• Attack those with higher credibility
• Repeat negative statements
• Say “I know how you feel”
• Overreact to emotional outbursts
• Use acronyms or jargon
• Speculate about what you do not know
• Try to turn everyone into an expert in your
subject

33. 33
Communication Tools
• Word of mouth
• Word of mouse
• Printed Media
• Electronic media
• Social Networks

34. 34
Communications…
…Can Help Dispel Myths

35. CONFIDENCE
BUILDING
INITIATIVES

36. 36
Demonstrate Technical Competence
• Full disclosure of facility operational compliance
• Disseminate information on Nuclear safety,
Radiation & nuclear related matters, including
but not limited to nuclear incidents and
accidents
• Conduct regular third party verification audits
• Invite stakeholders to third party verification
audits as observers
• Investment in R&D activities
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37. EMBRACING BEST PRACTICES
ISO 9001 ACCREDITATION ISO 14001 ACCREDITATION
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38. BUILDING STAKEHOLDER CAPACITY
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39. BUILDING STAKEHOLDER CAPACITY
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40. NUCLEAR SCIENCE &TECHNOLOGY
EDUCATION PROGRAMME
Outreach Programs
• National Science
Week
• Brochures &
Posters
• Tours & Visit
• Science and Math
Educator
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41. 41
CSI Programme
Embraces issues of “Social Development” in terms of
empowerment in:
• Developing SMME’s
• Localization of employment
opportunities

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Key Learnings
• Demonstrating technical competence and regulatory
compliance are not enough to instill stakeholder confidence
• Accommodate divergent values and beliefs equally,
considering them all when making decisions
• Empower your stakeholders with the necessary knowledge
to enable them to participate in decision making process in
an informed manner
• You can successfully addressed negative public
perceptions by creating a multi-stakeholder platform for
dialogue and collaborative problem-solving.
• These platforms catalyzed innovation, built trust, reduced
conflict and created the conditions necessary for building
sustainable, mutually beneficial long term stakeholder
relationships

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Concluding Remarks
• Biggest challenge of any radwaste management
related activity is to ensure societal and political
acceptance
• Advancement of enhanced stakeholder participation
and corporate transparency goes hand in glove
• Demonstrating technical competence and safe
operations are key parts of building stakeholder
confidence, however its not enough to ensure
stakeholder acceptability.
• Stakeholder confidence building strategies and
policies must take into account cultural diversities.

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To Ensure Societal and Political Acceptance…
Make communication, public
participation and stakeholder
engagement
Part of your Radwaste
Management DNA !!!

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46. Thank You!!!
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