The document provides an overview of radioactive waste management in South Africa. It discusses the legislative framework, classification of wastes, and management options. It describes current practices such as pre-disposal management including decommissioning and storage, as well as disposal of low-level waste at Vaalputs. Key challenges include strengthening stakeholder trust and managing spent nuclear fuel. The concluding remarks emphasize that current practices align with international standards but stakeholder acceptance is critical to any radioactive waste management activities.

1. OVERVIEW OF THE
MANAGEMENT OF
RADIOACTIVE WASTE IN
SOUTH AFRICA
BY:
ALAN CAROLISSEN
Senior Manager: Nuclear Liabilities
Management (NLM)
PRESENTATION TO 3rd NUCLEAR INDUSTRY CONGRESS AFRICA
3rd FEBRUARY 2016

2. Content
• Background
• Legislative and Regulatory Framework for Radwaste
Management
• Waste classification, origin and management options
• Pre-Disposal of Radioactive Waste
• Disposal of Radioactive Waste
• Used (Spent) Nuclear Fuel Management
• Key Challenges
• Concluding Remarks
• Q&A

3. Background

4. THANK YOU

5. Overarching Objective Of Radwaste Management
“… to deal with radioactive waste in a
manner that protects human health and
the environment now and in the future
without imposing undue burdens on
future generations.”

6. Legislative and
Regulatory
Framework

7. Legislative and Regulatory Framework
• Approved by Cabinet and
published in Nov 2005
• Preparation of legislation for
implementation
 Radwaste Fund
 National Committee on Radioactive
Waste Management
 Radwaste Institute (NRWDI)
• Implementation within
5 years (Nov 2010)

8. Radwaste Management Framework

9. Waste origins,
Waste
Classification and
Management
Options

10. Past Strategic Programs
Uranium
Enrichment
Fuel fabrication
Weapons programme

11. Current Nuclear Programs
SAFARI-1 RESEARCH REACTOR KOEBERG NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

12. Waste Classification and Management Options
HLW ILW LLW VLLW VSLW
• REGULATORY ASPECTS
• TECHNOLOGY OPTIONS
• ECONOMICS
• SOCIETAL ISSUES
MANAGEMENT OPTIONS – TREATMENT & DISPOSAL
SAFETY PRINCIPLES AND
REQUIREMENTS

13. PRE-DISPOSAL
OF RADIOACTIVE
WASTE

14. Decommissioning
BEFORE

17. During Decommissioning

18. Decommissioning Completed

19. Now Reuse as Waste Store

20. Decontamination Facility

21. Decontamination
TV COILS IN D BUILDING CONTAMINATED PIPES

22. Decontamination
AFTER DECONTAMINATION

23. PELSTORE - MAIN WASTE STORAGE
FACILITY

25. 25

26. 26
VOLUME REDUCTION FACILITY

27. VOLUME REDUCTION FACILITY

29. Used Fuel Management In SA
WET STORAGE
DRY STORAGE

30. Disposal of Low Level Waste at Vaalputs

31. Low Level Waste Disposal Repository: Vaalputs

32. Commissioning of Vaalputs
• 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.

33. 33
Red sand – 0,5 m
Red ‘clay’ – 10m
White ‘clay’ – 5m
Weathered granite – 3m
Fresh granite up to 100m
Aquifer
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

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

35. Types of Waste Dispose
LLW in metal containers
LLW in concrete
containers
Spent fuel racks

36. Receiving Waste

39. Rehabilated Trench

40. Multi-Stakeholder Forum Meetings

41. Building Stakeholder Capacity

42. Building Stakeholder Capacity

43. Embracing Best Practices
ISO 9001 ACCREDITATION ISO 14001 ACCREDITATION

44. Nuclear Science &Technology Education
Programme
44
Schools Outreach Programme
• National Science Week
• Brochures & Posters
• Tours & Visit
• Science and Math's
Educator

45. KEY
CHALLENGES

46. Key Challenges
Deepening and
Strengthening of
Stakeholder Confidence
and Trust

47. 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

48. 48

49. 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

50. Key Challenges
Management of Used
(Spent) Nuclear Fuel and
High Level Waste

51. Used Fuel Management Options
● Off-site above ground Centralized Interim
Storage Facility
● Reprocessing, conditioning &
recycling
● Direct disposal
● Transmutation

52. Used Nuclear Fuel Strategies
• At reactor storage + off-site storage
• At reactor storage+ off-site storage+ direct disposal
• At reactor storage+ reprocessing/recycling + disposal
• At reactor storage+ off-site storage+
reprocessing/recycling + disposal

53. Centralized Long Term Off-site Storage Facility

54. Deep Geological Repository
Enapsulation and Disposal
Fuel pellet of
uranium
dioxide
Spent
nuclear
fuel
Cladding tube
Copper canister
with cast-iron
insert
Bedrock
Bentonite clay
Geological repository
for spent nuclear fuel
Encapsulation and Disposal Facilities
Source: SKB IC, 2008

55. CONCLUDING
REMARKS

56. Concluding Remarks
• Current radioactive waste management practises are in
line with international best practise and in some cases
like the disposal of low level at Vaalputs, we are the
GLOBAL leader
• Vaalputs can easily accommodate the additional
projected Low Level Waste inventory stemming from the
envisaged new build programme
• Regardless of the chosen UNF Strategy, the following
technical outcomes are inescapable:
– Centralized Long Term Off-site Storage Facility is
required (2025)
– Deep Geological Repository is required (2065)

57. Concluding Remarks
• Many countries have adopted dry cask UNF storage as an
interim strategy in the absence of a deep geological repository.
Recent Fukushima event heightened public concern about
long term onsite storage in pools / dry casks.
• The Vaalputs site is a candidate site for the establishment of
the above ground off-site centralised interim dry storage facility
for used nuclear fuel as well as for hosting the deep geological
repository.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive communication
strategy and plan to (1) demystify and decipher the public’s
fears regarding the management of radioactive waste and (2) to
deepen and strengthen stakeholder acceptance, confidence
and trust.
• Biggest challenge of any radwaste management related activity
is to ensure societal and political acceptance.

58. To ensure societal and political acceptance…
Make communication,
public participation
and stakeholder
engagement
Part of your Radioactive
Waste Management DNA !!!

59. 59

60. 60
Thank You !!!
Baie Dankie !!!
Re ya leboga !!!
Siyabonga !!!