Waste Technology Section

Training in and Demonstration of Waste Disposal Technologies in Underground Reasearch Facilities — An IAEA Network of Centres of Excellence (URF Network)


Background


AN IAEA NETWORK OF CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE

Under the auspices of the IAEA, nationally developed Underground Research Facilities (URFs) and associated laboratories are being offered for use by other nations. The URFs and laboratories form a "Network of Centres of Excellence" for training in and demonstration of waste disposal technologies.

OBJECTIVES OF THE NETWORK

  • Encourage the transfer and preservation of knowledge and technologies,
  • Work on solutions for Member States currently without URFs,
  • Supplement national efforts and promote public confidence in waste disposal schemes,
  • Contribute to the resolution of key technical issues.

ORGANISATION OF THE NETWORK

NETWORK MEMBERS are owners of facilities that can be recognized as Centres of Excellence in Member States and that have offered their facilities to host training and demonstration activities as part of the Network. Network Members are:

  • BELGIUM with the HADES URF  at Mol, built in the Boom clay strata;

  • CANADA with the Underground Research Laboratory (URL) of Lac-du-Bonnet, Manitoba, built in a granitic batholith of the Canadian Shield;

  • FRANCE with IRSN's Underground Test Facility built in a Toarcian argilite at Tournemire;

  • GERMANY with DBE Technology's deep geological disposal in mining structures;

  • SWEDEN with the Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory, built in granite;

  • SWITZERLAND with the Grimsel Test Site (GTS) built in granite and the Mont-Terri URL built in claystones;

  • UK with Geoenvironmental Research Centre, Cardiff University; and

  • USA with the WIPP facility near Carlsbad, New Mexico, built in bedded salt, the Yucca Mountain facility built in volcanic tuffs and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), through the United States Department of Energy (DOE).

NETWORK PARTICIPANTS can come from any interested Member State. At present the Network Participants are from:

Argentina, Armenia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Lithuania, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Ukraine

RESOURCES

Costs of membership and interactions are borne by the Members and the Participants in the Network. In line with practices of the IAEA˙s programme for Coordinated Research Projects (CRPs), IAEA may provide research contracts with eligible Member States. In addition, IAEA˙s Department of Technical Co-operation (TC) may allocate grants for training courses,fellowships and scientific visits to the Centres of Excellence, for Member States eligible to receive assistance under the TC Programme.

Contact:

Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle & Waste Technology,
IAEA, PO Box 100, A1400 Vienna, Austria
e-mail: GeolDispNetwork@IAEA.org