Training course on radioactive waste management
Industriezone Boeretang Zuid – Boeretang 190
Mol
Général
This intensive seven day course will give a comprehensive overview of different aspects involved in the management of radioactive waste. The course modules will handle operational radioactive waste management during collection, characterization, conditioning, transport and (interim) storage.
Course topics will focus on international best practices and regulations, national and international state-of-the-art. The course benefits from expertise from the point of view of waste producers, waste management organisations and nuclear regulators.
In each aspect of the course, theory is combined with technical visits to allow participants to experience how guidelines and best practices are translated to the field.
Sujets
The following topics will be treated:
First week (Monday - Friday):
- Origin, types of radioactive waste
- Classification of radioactive waste
- Basic principles of radioactive waste management
- Legal basis of radioactive waste management and role of the nuclear regulator
- Role of the waste management organisation
- Interfaces between the Belgian nuclear operator (FANC) and the waste management organisation
- Management of used sources (packaging)
- Financing of radioactive waste management in Belgium
- Combined inspections and audits by FANC
- The management of materials from the dismantling of a nuclear reactor REX from the BR3 case
- Case studies: BR3 spent fuel - Decommissioning of the Thetis reactor and the accelerator park - M2 hot cell decommissioning and refurbishing project - Problematic waste
- Radioactive waste characterization
- Characterization techniques
- Non-destructive assay techniques for waste characterization
- Waste transportation
- Conditioning of radioactive waste
- The waste acceptance system for radioactive waste as developed by ONDRAF/NIRAS
- Qualification of the treatment and characterization processes
- Visits are foreseen to different facilities at:
- SCK CEN: Technical visits to LHMA, CBZ and BR3
- Belgoprocess: Technical visit CILVA
Second week (Monday-Tuesday):
- Research and development in predisposal management of radioactive waste
- Conditioning techniques
- Geopolymers
- Waste storage requirements
- Safety of the near-surface disposal at Dessel and requiremnets for disposal waste
- Waste disposal requirements in function of the CatA disposal facility
- “Disposability” of category A radioative waste
- Use of ADS systems to reduce minor actinites content on spent fuel and potential impact on the geological disposal of HLW
- Case study: Detrimental processes in bituminized waste forms
- Visit are foreseen to:
- Belgoprocess: Technical visits to process facilities (PAMELA) and waste storage facilities
Groupe cible
Students and professionals in radioactive waste management.
Programme
The full programme can be downloaded here.
Connaissances nécessaires
A scientific-technical background is required (master in science or engineering).
Préparation
There is no preparation needed for this training course.
Résultats de l'apprentissage
Upon completion of this training course, the participant will be able to:
- demonstrate advanced knowledge on the general classification of nuclear waste and the basic principles of radioactive waste management;
- translate these basic principles of radioactive waste management into good practices;
- demonstrate knowledge on the interrelations of the different actors in the nuclear field related to this waste management (nuclear regulator, waste management organization);
- demonstrate knowledge on radioactive waste characterization and conditioning techniques;
- demonstrate the understanding of the Belgian case: the acceptation and accreditation system of NIRAS/ONDRAF.
Prix
Registration fee: € 4400 (VAT excluded)
Informations sur l'inscription
You can register using the button above until 19 January 2026.
Cancellation with total refund is only possible until 19 January 2026.
Due to safety regulations and access modalities of the different installations, you can only register until this date.
Logement
Accommodation is pre-booked at the Corbie hotel in Geel. Your hotel booking must be confirmed before January 19, 2026 by email to geel [at] corbiehotel [dot] be (geel[at]corbiehotel[dot]com) and academy [at] sckcen [dot] be (academy[at]sckcen[dot]be).
Please mention your contact data, the check-in and check-out date and the name of the course 'Training course on radioactive waste management'.
Indicate whether you wish to stay in a double (168 euro/night) or single room (126 euro/night). In a double room you will share the room with a person of the same gender.