Evaluation of low and intermediate level radioactive solidified waste forms and packages

Research projects for the coordinated research programme covered: evaluation of solidified ion exchange resin/carbon-14 waste forms, evaluation of tritiated waste forms and packages, studies of materials for high integrity containers, and investigation of non-intrusive techniques for quality assurance of waste forms and packages. Dynamic leach tests on cemented ion exchange resin encapsulated in cementitious grout showed no release of carbon-14 over a 2 year period. Tritiated waste solidification did not effectively retard tritium release from waste forms. The use of a 10mm thick high density polyethylene container provided the required tritium retention. High density polyethylene, fibre reinforced polyester and 316 stainless steel have the potential to give a 300 year container life under storage and disposal conditions. X-radiography can provide non-intrusive detection of waste form defects and interior package deterioration. (author). 9 figs, 9 tabs