RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT PLANT POLAND

Radioactive Waste Management in Poland

Andrzej Cholerzynski

Societal ownership of nuclear waste management in Europe: a

question of safety, 15 October 2015 - Brussels 1

Societal ownership of nuclear waste management in Europe: a

question of safety, 15 October 2015 - Brussels

Chapter 14

State-owned public utility “Radioactive Waste Management Plant”

Article 114. 1. State-owned public utility named “Radioactive Waste

Management Plant” located in Otwock-Świerk, hereinafter referred to as

“the Plant”, shall be established for conducting the activities involving

radioactive waste management and spent nuclear fuel management, and

- above all – with the aim to ensure permanent feasibility of the

radioactive waste disposal and spent nuclear fuel disposal.

1a. The Plant shall also conduct activities consisting in the collection,

transport, storage and disposal of nuclear materials, radioactive sources

and other radioactive substances

Atomic LawACT OF PARLIAMENT

of 29 November 2000

2

Societal ownership of nuclear waste management in Europe: a

question of safety, 15 October 2015 - Brussels

Article 119.21. The Plant shall receive from the national budget an allocated subsidy for radioactive waste management and spent nuclear fuel management, operation of storage facilities for spent nuclear fuel originating from research nuclear reactors, radiological protection operations and the protection of the National Radioactive Waste Repository, and for the collection, transport, processing, storage and disposal of nuclear materials, radioactive sources and other radioactive substances

Article 116. 1. The supervision over the Plant and the founding organ’s functions shall be executed by the minister competent for economic matters.

3

Societal ownership of nuclear waste management in Europe: a

question of safety, 15 October 2015 - Brussels 4

Poland has no NPPs, project of the first NPP,

planned at Żarnowiec (two units WWER-

440/V213 - construction started in 1985) was

abandoned in 1990.

Societal ownership of nuclear waste management in Europe: a

question of safety, 15 October 2015 - Brussels 5

Polish Nuclear Power Programme

An argument in favour of implementation of nuclear power technologies in the country is the need to provide appropriate energy security for Poland. This is achievable, mainly, through the diversification of the fuel base and production of energy at reasonable cost, while taking into account the environmental challenges. Modern nuclear power plants have a proven track record of satisfying these requirements

Societal ownership of nuclear waste management in Europe: a

question of safety, 15 October 2015 - Brussels

6

Scheduled in the Programme activities :

Till 31.12.2017

determine the location and the conclusion of a contract to build the first nuclear power plant

01.01.2018- 31.12.2028

building permit and construction of the first block first nuclear power plant, start construction

next,

.

Societal ownership of nuclear waste management in Europe: a

question of safety, 15 October 2015 - Brussels 7

Radioactive waste arises from a wide range of activities in industry, medicine,

research and development.

Radioactive Waste Streams

From reactor operation

Disused sealed radioactive sources

Other radioactive sources

Contaminated items

Spent Fuel

Decommissioning

Radioactive waste also comes from the generation of electricity in nuclear

power plants .

Societal ownership of nuclear waste management in Europe: a

question of safety, 15 October 2015 - Brussels 8

THE NATIONAL PLAN OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND SPENT NUCLEAR

FUEL MANAGEMENT

The National Plan is a result of cooperation between all institutions involved in

management of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, also considering

experiences of other countries. It also presents, that Poland has necessary experience

and knowledge to ensure the effective and safe management of radioactive waste and

spent nuclear fuel.

Societal ownership of nuclear waste management in Europe: a

question of safety, 15 October 2015 - Brussels 9

THE NATIONAL PLAN OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND SPENT

NUCLEAR FUEL MANAGEMENT

This document has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of

the Act - Atomic Law, as well as the guidelines to the Council Directive

2011/70/Euratom of 19 July 2011 establishing Community frameworks in

regard to responsible and safe management of spent nuclear fuel and

radioactive waste.

Societal ownership of nuclear waste management in Europe: a

question of safety, 15 October 2015 - Brussels 10

THE NATIONAL PLAN OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND SPENT NUCLEAR

FUEL MANAGEMENT

Participation of the society is an equally important issue in management of radioactive waste. Therefore, transparency, dialogue and consultation with society representatives are in the center of the actions envisaged in the National Plan

Societal ownership of nuclear waste management in Europe: a

question of safety, 15 October 2015 - Brussels 11

LEGAL BASIS FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION AND PARTICIPATION IN THE

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.

Principles for informing the society and its participation in the decision-making

process concerning radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel management are

regulated by the following legislative acts:

• Act of 3 October 2008 on the release of information about environment and its

protection, participation of the public in the environment al protection and

assessments of the environmental impact (EIA Act);

• Regulation of the Council of Ministers of 9 November 2010 on projects having

potentially significant impact on the environment (EIA Regulation);

• Act - Atomic Law.

Societal ownership of nuclear waste management in Europe: a

question of safety, 15 October 2015 - Brussels 12

PUBLIC INFORMATION AND EDUCATION IN THE FIELDS OF NUCLEAR POWER AND DELIVERY OF PNPPStable and conscious public support for nuclear power is one of the major conditions for implementation of PNPP. It is based on public access to reliable and updated knowledge and information on nuclear power and the progress of PNPP. It moreover calls for a broad consensus and political consistence at the stage of preparation and implementation of PNPP, as well as appropriate regulations in this respect. It is also necessary to observe and take into account the opinions of the stakeholders and, in the first place, the opinion of local communities in the areas being the prospective locations for NPPs.The process of public information and education must be a continuous action delivered at the preparatory and implementation stage of the PNPP. Knowledge on nuclear energy and nuclear power engineering is complex; moreover, these issues are burdened with numerous myths and negative associations.

Societal ownership of nuclear waste management in Europe: a

question of safety, 15 October 2015 - Brussels 13

The National Radioactive

Waste Repository is located in

the village of Rozan on the

Narew at a distance of about

90 km from Warsaw and is

located within an old fort, with

an area of 3.045 ha. On the

north side of the fort, in the

distance of about 400 m, there

are municipal buildings, and

from the north - east the Narew

river is about 800 m away.

NRWR has been in operation

since 1916, from the beginning

under the supervision of today’s RWMP.

NATIONAL RADIOACTIVE WASTE REPOSITORY

Societal ownership of nuclear waste management in Europe: a

question of safety, 15 October 2015 - Brussels 14

CLOSURE OF THE NATIONAL RADIOACTIVE WASTE REPOSITORY IN

ROZAN (NRWR-ROZAN) - PREPARATION OF LONG-LIVED WASTE FOR

STORAGE IN ANOTHER REPOSITORY

When the repository in Rozan was opened in 1961, a big cleaning operation

started in Poland. Unfortunately, this action did not include the processing or

suitable packaging of waste. The documentation provided for disposal of

radioactive waste was usually incomplete. It should be emphasized, however, that

the situation in Rozan is still an exception in the world, since the waste collection

records, although incomplete, have survived. We know what isotopes the waste

contained, and we have the information on the packaging. We can estimate the

volume and weight of the waste. We know in general the kind of waste (sources,

reagents, contaminated laboratory equipment, devices).

Societal ownership of nuclear waste management in Europe: a

question of safety, 15 October 2015 - Brussels 15

CONCEPT FOR THE NEW RADIOACTIVE WASTE REPOSITORY