System understanding as a scientific foundation in radioactive waste disposal, legacy site and decommissioning programmes

Lindborg, Tobias; Ikonen, A.T.K.; Kautsky, Ulrik; Smith, Graham M.

doi:10.1088/1361-6498/abf9e1

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 16 publications

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“…Also, general and common strategies related to site and system understanding have been developed in national programmes and reported in international forums, see e.g. DSA (2020) and Lindborg et al (2021). In the next few years, it seems likely that further substantial progress will be made in long-term climate and landscape modelling, e.g.…”

Section: Climate and Site Evolution Modelling Issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Safety assessments undertaken using the BIOMASS methodology: lessons learnt and methodological enhancements

et al. 2022

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The International Atomic Energy Agency has coordinated an international project addressing enhancements of methods for modelling in post-closure safety assessments of solid radioactive waste disposal. The project used earlier published work from the IAEA biosphere modelling and assessment (BIOMASS) project to further develop methods and techniques. The task was supported by a parallel on-going project within the BIOPROTA forum. The output from the project is described in detail in a forthcoming IAEA report. Here an overview of the work is given to provide researchers in the broader fields of radioecology and radioactive waste disposal with a summarised review of the enhanced BIOMASS methodology and the work that has been undertaken during the project. It is hoped that such dissemination will support and promote integrated understanding and coherent treatment of the biosphere component within the overall assessment process. The key activities undertaken in the project were: review and identification of those parts of the original BIOMASS methodology that needed enhancement, discussions on lessons learned from applying the BIOMASS method, using real examples to assess the methodology and its usefulness, and writing of those parts of the methodology that were considered could benefit from refinement or for which new guidance was required to take account of scientific developments. The work has shown that the overall approach in the original BIOMASS methodology has proven sound. However, the enhanced version clarifies the need for an iterative and holistic approach with system understanding central to the approach. Specifically, experience, especially in site-specific contexts, has emphasised that adequate system understanding is essential in underpinning safety assessments for radioactive waste disposal. The integral role of the biosphere within safety assessment is also emphasised in the enhanced methodology.

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Section: Climate and Site Evolution Modelling Issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Safety assessments undertaken using the BIOMASS methodology: lessons learnt and methodological enhancements

et al. 2022

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A research and development roadmap to support applications of the enhanced BIOMASS methodology

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Lindborg

Brown

et al. 2022

J. Radiol. Prot.

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The International Atomic Energy Agency has coordinated an international project addressing enhancements of methods for modelling the biosphere in post-closure safety assessments of solid radioactive waste disposal. This has resulted in the enhanced BIOMASS methodology that is described elsewhere in this special issue. To a large degree, the enhancements to the BIOMASS methodology arose from experience gained in applying the original methodology, both in the context of other international projects and in assessments of existing or proposed disposal facilities for solid radioactive wastes. Here, this experience is used, together with information on the status of solid radioactive waste disposal programmes worldwide, to identify opportunities for applying the enhanced methodology and for learning from those applications. This provides a basis for identifying research and development to support application of the enhanced methodology in a variety of environmental settings. These research and development requirements include aspects related to climate change under a variety of forcing scenarios, landform development in climatic regimes ranging from cold, polar to arid, tropical, modelling of groundwater flow and contaminant transport in surface-water catchments where both fractured rock and porous sediments are present, and studies of the transport of key radioisotopes of elements central to major biogeochemical cycles, such as those of carbon, chlorine, sulphur and iodine. In addition, some remarks are made on aspects of the application of the enhanced methodology that could imply review and updating of regulations and regulatory guidance, e.g. in relation to the definition of representative persons or groups to be considered in assessments and in respect of approaches to the assessment of radiological impacts on non-human biota. Furthermore, consideration is given as to how the scientific and technical experience that has been gained and methods that have been developed in the context of solid radioactive disposal facilities could support management of contaminated sites and legacy facilities that are likely to require long-term management and stewardship.

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System understanding as a scientific foundation in radioactive waste disposal, legacy site and decommissioning programmes

Cited by 2 publications

References 16 publications

Safety assessments undertaken using the BIOMASS methodology: lessons learnt and methodological enhancements

Safety assessments undertaken using the BIOMASS methodology: lessons learnt and methodological enhancements

A research and development roadmap to support applications of the enhanced BIOMASS methodology

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