Germany: Current National Strategies, Regulations, and Waste Acceptance Criteria

Excluding fuel material, Germany has graphite wastes mainly from the AVR and THTR reactor reflectors, and limited material from the thermal columns and reflectors of about 25 MTR. These wastes are destined for the KONRAD repository for 'low level and intermediate level radioactive waste with negligible heat generation'. KONRAD is a former iron-ore mine. When the facility was established in 2007, limits for gaseous emissions were set for the following nuclide groups: ¹⁴C, ³H, ¹²⁹I, ²²²Rn, unspecified α-emitter and unspecified β/γ-emitters. In the light of the recent decision on phasing-out of the use of nuclear energy, there is now an effort on redefining the criteria for a final HLW repository in Germany. Afterwards it is planned to select alternative sites to the Gorleben repository option. In a separate study, an impermeable graphite matrix out of i-graphite has been developed by FNAG ZN Hanau. This is an industrial initiative without governmental funding, and is an alternative embedding of i-graphite in glass without volume increases which fulfils the disposal criteria for the proposed disposal site KONRAD with respect to mechanical properties as well as release criteria. Additionally this material allows for the safe encapsulation of further waste streams