Our Vision
With the European Joint Programme on Radioactive Waste Management EURAD a step change in European collaboration is envisaged towards safe radioactive waste management (RWM), covering all phases including predisposal and disposal, through the development of a robust and sustained science, technology and knowledge management programme that supports timely implementation of RWM activities and serves to foster mutual understanding and trust between Joint Programme participants.
EURAD-2 will support the implementation of the Waste Directive in EU Member States, taking into account the various stages of advancement of national programmes, the differences in capabilities and inventories.
Our goals are to:
- Support Member States in developing and implementing their national RD&D programmes, as reported to DG ENER for the safe long‐term management of their full range of different types of radioactive waste through participation in the RWM Joint Programme;
- Develop and consolidate existing knowledge for the safe start and operation of the first geological disposal facilities for spent fuel, high‐level waste, and other long‐lived radioactive waste, and supporting optimization linked with the stepwise implementation of geological disposal facilities;
- Building on the achievements of EURAD(-1) and PREDIS, maintain a knowledge management programme that enhances transfer of knowledge between organisations, Member States and generations.
EURAD-2 addresses the 3,500,000 m3 inventory of radioactive waste across European Union Member States, with a holistic approach covering all materials from very-low-level and low-level waste (> 90%) through high-level waste (0.2% in volume). The programme strives to have impacts that cover surface, shallow and deep geological disposal facilities, as well as pre-disposal and interim storage practices to provide Member States with better technologies and tools to demonstrate advancing waste management practices. This also includes aspects of sustainability, through use of better materials having a lower environmental footprint and supporting the waste hierarchy of avoiding and reduce radioactive waste streams.
As a co-funded European partnership, the programme must aim to assist Member States in reaching their RD&D requirements as implied by the Waste Directive 2011/70, while offering optimal value for money and by creating measurable impact. 21 Member States have given mandates to 52 organisations (20 as RE, 16 and TSO and 16 as WMO) to represent their countries in making impacts through the RD&D and KM programme of EURAD-2. 40% of the funding to implement EURAD-2 is coming from Member States’ representatives and end users who have a need for the project,and have prioritized their needs through the College activities to develop the implementation Work Packages.
EURAD-2 will directly provide outcomes that help Member States when we are:
- advancing knowledge, technologies and safety for disposal facilities for intermediate- and high-level waste
- using safety demonstrations through laboratory and field tests of materials and systems, coupled with up scaling and multi-scale modelling
- addressing cost assessments of technologies via life cycle cost assessments of materials and technologies used in EURAD-2
- evaluating waste inventories in the context of waste characterisation, WAC and the waste hierarchy principles taking into account future evolutions and technologies (accurate forecasting of inventories).
- utilizing key performance indicators to evaluate technology readiness levels and safety
- having cross-border collaboration that fosters shared solutions and internal international peer reviews among the EURAD-2 participants
- assisting countries develop concepts and plans they can deploy based on best practices from more advanced Member State programmes by having wide inclusiveness in EURAD-2,
- developing and deploying knowledge management tools that aid knowledge preservation and
- providing opportunities for competence development for existing staff and future generations, through involvement in the programme, especially with mobility and training activities.
