SRDW For the evolution of the French legislation - 13036

This paper deals with the design and implementation of a Size Reduction and Decontamination Workshop (SRDW) for the Nuclear Power Plant of Kozloduy (KNPP), Bulgaria. This facility will be use during the dismantling of reactors to ensure the radioactive contamination levels of the materials from Turbine Halls and Auxiliary buildings allow them to be free released or such levels to minimise the interim storage volume of the radioactive waste in the Bulgarian National Repository. Processes and machines provided by Onet Technologies allow treating any materials from small parts to large pieces of equipment. Although Onet Technologies learned and developed most of these technologies while running and maintaining French reactors, this kind of installation is not forecast in France because the legislation does not allow free declassification of materials coming from a controlled area. Onet Technologies believes the International experience should be taken into account to help to solve the issue of the limited capacity of the very low level waste depository. By authorising declassification of materials based on the measurable activity, the legislator would widen the way of waste valorisation and reduce the need for very low level waste storage. By reviewing the definition of nuclear waste, based on the world wide practise, the need for storage du to decommissioning in France could be reduced by a factor two. This principle is also the necessary condition to open the door to real valorisation of waste.