French Law on Waste Management Research-General View on Partitioning Program and Current State of Partitioning Studies

Abstract

Because National Waste Management Agency (ANDRA) met any opposition in 1989 during HLW and long lived MLW disposal sites investigations, the French Government decided a temporary halt and, after a subsequent political discussion, edicted a law, December 30, 1991, to relaunch in a better public and political acceptance climate, the HLW and long lived MLW ultimate disposal management ways to choose. This law consisted in a long-term research program, until year 2006, on three research axes:

• 1. Partitioning and transmutation of long-lived wastes in order to minimize their long-term toxicity.

• 2. Assessment of the capacity of geological structures to confine radioactive wastes research performance in underground laboratories under ANDRA leadership.

• 3. Improvement of waste packaging techniques and prolonged surface storage.

Evaluation of this R&D program is made early until 2006 by 12 members of «Evaluation National Commission». Flowsheets with general R&D planning for these Research axes are presented.

More details are given on Partitioning and Transmutation R&D program concerning Plutonium cycle and minor actinides management.

Examples of long-lived radionuclides partitioning are given.