Highlights of IAEA's activities in the area of Safety of Radioactive Waste Management

IAEA - Division of Radiation and Waste Safety

Abstract

In response to the wishes of Member States, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has, over the years, significantly expanded its activities for strengthening the international co-operation in nuclear, radiation and waste safety. While it has not been decided that supervisory or regulatory functions should be conferred on the IAEA, it has been recognized that the Agency is the appropriate institution to use for the establishment of an international infrastructure comprising three main elements - basic binding conventions, recommended standards and advisory studies and assistance in application of Safety Standards. These instruments form the basis of a general policy for achieving safety in the nuclear activities of Member States. Recent efforts accomplished by the IAEA for achieving safety in the radioactive waste management are illustrative of this objective and deserve to be particularly highlighted. They concern i) the preparation of a Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel and the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management; ii) the development of the Agency's Radioactive Waste Safety Standards (RADWASS) and iii) the application of the Safety Standards in providing assistance to Member States.