A-21: RADIOACTIVE WASTES - MANAGEM.
Distr.
GENERAL
A/CONF.151/26 (Vol. II)
13 August 1992
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
REPORT OF THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON
ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
(Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992)
Chapter 22
SAFE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND MANAGEMENT OF
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
PROGRAMME AREA
Promoting the safe and environmentally sound
management of radioactive wastes
Basis for action
22.1. Radioactive wastes are generated in the nuclear fuel cycle as well
as in nuclear applications (the use of radionuclides in medicine, research
and industry). The radiological and safety risk from radioactive wastes
varies from very low in short-lived, low-level wastes up to very large for
high-level wastes. Annually about 200,000 m3 of low-level and
intermediate-level waste and 10,000 m3 of high-level waste (as well as
spent nuclear fuel destined for final disposal) is generated world wide
from nuclear power production. These volumes are increasing as more nuclear
power units are taken into operation, nuclear facilities are decommissioned
and the use of radionuclides increases. The high-level waste contains
about 99 per cent of the radionuclides and thus represents the largest
radiological risk. The waste volumes from nuclear applications are
generally much smaller, typically some tens of cubic metres or less per
year and country. However, the activity concentration, especially in
sealed radiation sources, might be high, thus justifying very stringent
radiological protection measures. The growth of waste volumes should
continue to be kept under close review.
22.2. The safe and environmentally sound management of radioactive wastes,
including their minimization, transportation and disposal, is important,
given their characteristics. In most countries with a substantial nuclear
power programme, technical and administrative measures have been taken to
implement a waste management system. In many other countries still only in
preparation for a national nuclear programme or having only nuclear
applications, such systems are still needed.
Objective
22.3. The objective of this programme area is to ensure that radioactive
wastes are safely managed, transported, stored and disposed of, with a view
to protecting human health and the environment, within a wider framework of
an interactive and integrated approach to radioactive waste management and
safety.
Activities
(a) Management-related activities
22.4. States, in cooperation with relevant international organizations,
where appropriate, should:
(a) Promote policies and practical measures to minimize and limit,
where appropriate, the generation of radioactive wastes and provide for
their safe processing, conditioning, transportation and disposal;
(b) Support efforts within IAEA to develop and promulgate
radioactive waste safety standards or guidelines and codes of practice as
an internationally accepted basis for the safe and environmentally sound
management and disposal of radioactive wastes;
(c) Promote safe storage, transportation and disposal of radioactive
wastes, as well as spent radiation sources and spent fuel from nuclear
reactors destined for final disposal, in all countries, in particular in
developing countries, by facilitating the transfer of relevant technologies
to those countries and/or the return to the supplier of radiation sources
after their use, in accordance with relevant international regulations or
guidelines;
(d) Promote proper planning, including environmental impact
assessment where appropriate, of safe and environmentally sound management
of radioactive waste, including emergency procedures, storage,
transportation and disposal, prior to and after activities that generate
such waste.
(b) International and regional cooperation and coordination
22.5. States, in cooperation with relevant international organizations,
where appropriate, should:
(a) Strengthen their efforts to implement the Code of Practice on
the Transboundary Movements of Radioactive Waste and, under the auspices of
IAEA, in cooperation with relevant international organizations dealing with
different modes of transport, keep the question of such movements under
active review, including the desirability of concluding a legally binding
instrument;
(b) Encourage the London Dumping Convention to expedite work to
complete studies on replacing the current voluntary moratorium on disposal
of low-level radioactive wastes at sea by a ban, taking into account the
precautionary approach, with a view to taking a well informed and timely
decision on the issue;
(c) Not promote or allow the storage or disposal of high-level,
intermediate-level and low-level radioactive wastes near the marine
environment unless they determine that scientific evidence, consistent with
the applicable internationally agreed principles and guidelines, shows that
such storage or disposal poses no unacceptable risk to people and the
marine environment or does not interfere with other legitimate uses of the
sea, making, in the process of consideration, appropriate use of the
concept of the precautionary approach;
(d) Not export radioactive wastes to countries that, individually or
through international agreements, prohibit the import of such wastes, such
as the contracting parties to the Bamako Convention on the Ban of the
Import into Africa and the Control of Transboundary Movement of Hazardous
Wastes within Africa, the fourth Lom Convention or other relevant
conventions, where such prohibition is provided for;
(e) Respect, in accordance with international law, the decisions, as
far as applicable to them, taken by parties to other relevant regional
environmental conventions dealing with other aspects of safe and
environmentally sound management of radioactive wastes.
Means of implementation
(a) Financing and cost evaluation
22.6. The costs at the national level of managing and disposing of
radioactive wastes are considerable and will vary, depending on the
technology used for disposal.
22.7. The Conference secretariat has estimated the average total annual
cost (1993-2000) to international organizations to implement the activities
of this programme to be about $8 million. Actual costs and financial
terms, including any that are non-concessional, will depend upon, inter
alia, the specific strategies and programmes Governments decide upon for
implementation.
(b) Scientific and technological means
22.8. States, in cooperation with international organizations, where
appropriate, should:
(a) Promote research and development of methods for the safe and
environmentally sound treatment, processing and disposal, including deep
geological disposal, of high-level radioactive waste;
(b) Conduct research and assessment programmes concerned with
evaluating the health and environmental impact of radioactive waste
disposal.
(c) Capacity-building, including human resource development
22.9. States, in cooperation with relevant international organizations,
should provide, as appropriate, assistance to developing countries to
establish and/or strengthen radioactive waste management infrastructures,
including legislation, organizations, trained manpower and facilities for
the handling, processing, storage and disposal of wastes generated from
nuclear applications.
END OF CHAPTER 22
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