Safety requirements and recommendations for radioactive waste management

The requirements and recommendations for safe management of radioactive waste according to the IAEA RADWASS Safety Fundamentals are described in outline. The description presumes compliance with the basic requirement that generation of waste will have been kept to the minimum practicable and emphasises the requirement for conducting waste management in the context of a comprehensive systems. The requirements for human health and safety address all forms of hazard, and not only those associated with ionising radiation. They are addressed in a general context since the apply to all aspects of waste management. Other requirements are addressed in the specific context of pre-disposal management, near-surface and geological disposal and decommissioning of nuclear facilities. The requirements and recommendations described are not new. They reflect many years of experience and it is emphasized that they should be applied in a flexible way, being adapted in the light of changing knowledge and circumstances. (author). 11 refs