| Abstract: | With presently over 400 commercial nuclear power reactors being operated worldwide, many of which will retire within the next 50 years, the future generation of world nuclear energy depends upon strategies for low level waste management and decommissioning of those reactors. These strategies must address issues such as: economical feasibility, environmental and health standards, post-decommissioning land and facility usage. This paper considers those issues in the context of the inherently intertwined social and technical characteristics, with an emphasis on the management of very low level wastes. Until now 70 commercial power reactors have been decommissioned, however, most have been relatively small in comparison to those that will be preparing for decommissioning in the next 50 years. The resulting materials will add to the already increasing amounts of waste and material from nuclear reactors. Since the move to harmonization of clearance level regulation may have critical impacts on the environment and health as well as decommissioning costs and priority setting this paper examines both the areas of consensus and uncertainties between countries regarding very low level waste regulations for recycling of materials arising from decommissioning, against the background of international discussions. In conclusion, we discuss the need for deliberation regarding the assumptions and cultural factors. |
