International Cooperation Within Radioactive Waste Management Projects at Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plants

Currently, several projects have been implemented to different degrees at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant (NPP) site with international support of organizations, such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the European Commission (EC). Construction of the following facilities is at different stages of commissioning or pre-commissioning with a gradual increasing of production capacity: Liquid Radioactive Waste Processing Plant, Industrial Complex for Solid Radioactive Waste (RAW) Management, Industrial Complex for Containers and Drums manufacturing (packaging kits for RAW), Facilities for Radioactively Contaminated Water and Liquid Radioactive Waste Purification from Organic Compounds and Transuranium Elements, and New Safe Confinement. IAEA technical cooperation projects have significantly contributed to developing approaches for "problem" radioactive waste streams management. Joint strategic directions have been developed for managing radioactively contaminated waters containing organic compounds, radioactively contaminated graphite, and significant quantities of radioactive soil. Additionally, the level of radionuclide composition characterization in radioactive waste has been significantly increased. The paper provides more detailed information relevant to the radioactive waste management projects at Chornobyl NPP and the exchange of experience among the organizations involved in these projects. (author)