WIA Radioactive Waste Standard Guide

Radioactive waste classification links the characteristics of a waste inventory to its management requirements. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) publication GSG-1, Classification of Radioactive Waste , divides waste into six classes: exempt waste, very short lived waste, very low level waste, low level waste, intermediate level waste and high level waste. The classes are distinguished by the activity concentration of the radionuclides present, radioactive decay, heat generation, and the level of containment and isolation needed for disposal.

WIA-ENE-026 v1.0 defines waste categories, waste package records, storage information, monitoring and traceability. The standard consists of a main text and four phase documents: PHASE-1 (Foundation & Classification), PHASE-2 (Storage & Containment), PHASE-3 (Monitoring & Tracking) and PHASE-4 (Future Technologies). This book refers to them as the ‘main text’ and ‘PHASE-n’ respectively. PHASE-1, Foundation & Classification , establishes the basis for classification, radioactive decay assessment, regulatory review and waste tracking information systems. The numbered package categories of the standard and the extended classification terms of PHASE-1 describe related characteristics on different bases. IAEA classes are a conceptual framework describing the management and disposal route to which waste is directed, whereas WIA package codes are values that identify a package’s category in record-keeping and tracking systems. The actual disposal route is decided by the regulatory body through the licensing process, so a class or a code value alone does not settle how waste is disposed of.