[en] The history of development of waste management practices at CRNL is outlined. The policy has been to develop a system that could be operated safely at a site close to a built-up area and tn demonstrate the construction and use of facilities that can be made and operated at a reasonable cost. The waste facilities are described and an account is given of experiments designed to test the behaviour of fission products moving through the ground water zone. Other experiments on dispersion of radionuclides through the environment are outlined. The basis for setting working limits for certain types of disposals is given, especially the connection between maximum discharge levels to the river and the MPC_w recommendations of the ICRP. It is shown that waste at present pumped tn Reactor Pit 2 could be discharged to the river without approaching the ICRP limits, but it is pointed out that this would cause a large increase in the measured levels of Sr-90 and Cs-137 in the river water. (author)