Operational experience at radioactive waste treatment plant, after 15 years

Available in abstract form only. Full text of publication follows: The experience of the radioactive waste treatment plant (PTDR) in Chile, which centralizes all activities related to pre-disposal activities in the radioactive waste management, in the country is presented. It is the solely waste treatment plant in the country, where radioactive waste are received from all nuclear and radioactive waste generators facilities located in the country. Radioactive waste in Chile proceeds from radioisotope application at industrial, health, universities research, and from two nuclear research centers. Lately, there have been included the radioactive wastes discovered in metal recycling facilities, which sometimes make big amounts. Radioactive Waste Treatment Plant was planned in 1990; adoption of decision and started operation in 1992. At that time, a facility to store waste packages as conditioned waste in cementitious matrices in standardized 200 l drums was built (43 m3 total capacity) for a storage period estimated in 15 years. The methodology and procedures developed has been transferred to Latin American and El Caribe professionals, through demonstration training courses held in this Waste Treatment Plant which recognized as Demonstration facilities to prepare people in the processing of radioactive waste from nuclear applications, previous to disposal. These procedures were the first one developed following international recommendations and complying requirements to immobilize the radioactive material to avoid the external intrusion of thirds, and requirements of dose radiation according to transport regulations for radioactive material. (authors)