Present status of technology development on decommissioning and waste management in Nuclear Cycle Backend Directorate; Progress in 2009

Editorial Committee of R&D Results

It is an important issue to take measures against the matters on decommissioning of retired nuclear facilities and management of low-level radioactive wastes, and the measures must be taken with rational way by ensuring the safety. As the development, improvement, and proper deployment of technologies will be key factors, a technology development program is under way in Nuclear Cycle Backend Directorate taking account of these matters. The technology development items are selected from the viewpoints of systematic implementation of measures; these include the development of computer systems for planning and evaluation of decommissioning programs, supercritical CO fluid leaching method for decontamination, nitrate-ion degradation method, simple and rapid determination method for radioactivity, safety assessment for waste disposal and so on. This report describes outline and progress of the technology development program conducted in FY2009 by the research and development unit.