Nuclear Back End Webinar Series 1.12 - Nuclear Decommissioning in the Context of Sustainability and Circular Economy

A circular economy is generally described as an economy in which resources are kept in reuse or recycling for as long as possible, retrieving the maximum value from them, then recovering and regenerating products and materials at the end of each lifecycle. It is an approach focused on delivering positive society-wide benefits by limiting waste production and preserving natural resources.Similar to the concept of sustainable development, the application of circular economy principles in nuclear decommissioning is a relatively new area. Consequently, there is a wide range of interpretations of what this means in practice. Examples might be as follows: reuse of existing constructions or demolished concrete structures as fill materials in pits (to enable leaving a levelled site), free release and recycling of metals and other materials after dismantling and removal from the site, reuse of contaminated components in new equipment on a different or the same nuclear site, circular economy principles based asset management, reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel or diversion of very low-level waste to conventional landfills.This Webinar will highlight a wide range of considerations on nuclear decommissioning in the context of sustainability and circular economy. Several examples of decommissioning and waste management practices that are in accordance with these principles will be provided. Valuable insights from the experience gained in demolition of large structures in the non-nuclear industry will also be shared.