Near surface disposal of radioactive waste. Safety requirements

The objective of this Safety Requirements publication is to set out the basic requirements that international experience has shown to be necessary for ensuring the safety of near surface radioactive waste repositories. This publication applies to the disposal of radioactive wastes in solid or solidified form in near surface repositories. The wastes to be put in these repositories are generally characterized as those whose activity is largely due to short lived radionuclides and which have low concentrations of long lived radionuclides. This publication is structured into sections which cover the following: requirements for protection of human health and the environment; the means for demonstrating compliance with safety requirements; an outline of the organization and responsibilities for each of the parties involved; a description of technical safety requirements for each of the main components and activities - for the waste, for the site, for the design of disposal facilities, for construction, for operation, for closure and for the post-closure phase; and requirements for quality assurance during all disposal activities. The Annex provides a brief discussion of some features of dose and risk criteria