EURAD: European Joint Programme on Radioactive Waste Managment
EURAD aims to implement a joint Strategic Programme of research and knowledge management activities at the European level, bringing together and complementing EU Member State programmes in order to ensure cutting-edge knowledge creation and preservation in view of delivering safe, sustainable and publicly acceptable solutions for the management of radioactive waste across Europe now and in the future. It promotes more effective and efficient public RD&D funding in Europe, and a deepening of research-cooperation between Member States.
Overview
Project Status: Ongoing
Project Website: www.ejp-eurad.eu
EURAD supports the implementation of the Waste Directive in EU Member-States, taking into account the various stages of advancement of national programmes. National radioactive waste management (RWM) programmes across Europe cover a broad spectrum of stages of development and stages of advancement, particularly with respect to their plans and national policy towards implementing geological disposal. Programmes differ significantly depending on the national waste inventory, with some member states only responsible for relatively small volumes of medical and research reactor wastes, compared to others that have comparatively large and/or complex waste inventories from large nuclear power (and fuel reprocessing) and defence programmes. Programmes also differ significantly in the way in which they are managed, particularly with respect to the national policy and socio-political landscape with respect to longer-term storage and geological disposal.
EURAD gathers Waste Management Organisations (WMOs), Technical Support Organisations (TSOs) and Research Entities (REs) from Member-States
- with no nuclear power programme operating, but with research, training or demonstration reactors, and/or other sources of radioactive waste;
- with a nuclear programme;
- with different amounts of radioactive waste to manage;
- at different stages of advancement in the implementation of their national radioactive waste management programme; and
- with plans for geological disposal for spent fuel, high-level waste and long-lived intermediate level waste, with different host rocks and different disposal concepts and at different stages of implementation.
EURAD Vision
EURAD has published a Vision Document, in which it sets out its goals, governing principles, scope and objectives, and its vision, which is:
A step change in European collaboration towards safe radioactive waste management (RWM), including 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 envisages the transition to a new era, featuring more effective and efficient public RD&D funding in Europe, and a deepening of research-cooperation between Member States. The aim is to implement a joint Strategic Programme of research and knowledge management activities at the European level, bringing together and complementing EU Member State programmes in order to ensure cutting edge knowledge creation and preservation in view of delivering safe, sustainable and publicly acceptable solutions for the management of radioactive waste across Europe now and in the future.
Objective
The EURAD Vision, Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) and Roadmap will be delivered through a 5-year implementation phase broken down into a set of Work Packages, Tasks and Sub-Tasks. The following four types of activities shall contribute to the delivery of EURAD objectives.
The main activities of EURAD will consist of RD&D activities aimed at developing and consolidating science and technology knowledge identified in the EURAD Strategic Research Agenda and Roadmap. There shall be a balance between operational RD&D in direct link with implementation of repository concepts, as well as safety concerns and prospective RD&D. This includes short and long-term experiments and/or modelling work to demonstrate the robustness of the waste management concepts, to increase understanding and predictability of the impact of fundamental processes and their couplings, or to maintain scientific excellence and competences throughout the stepwise long-term management of radioactive waste.
- HITEC: Influence of temperature on clay-based material behaviour
- SFC: Spent fuel characterisation and evolution until disposal
- GAS: Mechanistic understanding of gas transport in clay materials
- FUTURE: Fundamental understanding of radionuclide retention
- DONUT: Development and improvement of numerical methods and tools for modelling coupled processes
- CORI: Cement-organic-radionuclide interactions
- ACED: Assessment of chemical evolution of ILW and HLW disposal cells
Complementary to RD&D and in support of the implementation of the Member States’ national programmes, Strategic Studies give the opportunity for participants and expert contributors to network on methodological and strategic challenging issues that are common to various national programmes and in close link with scientific, technical and issues.
Beyond RD&D and Strategic Studies, EURAD includes activities to consolidate efforts across Member-States on Knowledge Management – this includes access to existing Knowledge (State-of-Knowledge), guiding the planning and implementation of a RD&D plan of national RWM programme, and developing/delivering training/mobility in line with core competencies.
Knowledge Management is enables by three permanent WPs:
- State of knowledge: Activities under this WP consist of developing a systematic approach of establishing the state-of-knowledge in the field of RWM research. This shall be done on a stepwise basis: i) establishing of procedures to document the state of knowledge (SoK); ii) testing and improving these procedures on a few demonstration topics/sub-topics (of the Roadmap); iii) performing a review on existing tools/platforms and evaluating the added-value of establishing such a platform dedicated to provide access to SoK developed in EURAD.
- Methodological guidance: Activities under this WP consist of developing a comprehensive suite of instructional guidance documents that can be used by Member-States with RWM programmes that are at an early stage of development with respect to their national RWM programme. Such WP shall pursue and complement the work initiated with the PLANDIS Guide.
- Training/mobility: Activities under this WP consist of developing a diverse portfolio of tailored basic and specialised training courses under the umbrella of a “School of Radioactive Waste Management”, taking stock of and building upon already existing initiatives (i.e. IAEA and NEA) and creating new initiatives to bridge the identified gaps. The end-users are defined as professionals and potential new professionals at graduated and post-graduated level from EU and non-EU countries (via the IAEA and NEA programmes), and in particular the next generation of experts. This WP will also organise a mobility programme to provide access to dedicated infrastructures associated with the Mandated Actors/Linked Third Parties within EURAD. This work will be carried out in close interaction with European networks having a recognised experience in training/mobility in the field of RWM.
The successful implementation of RWM National Programmes relies on both scientific and technical aspects for a sound safety strategy and scientific and engineering excellence and societal (social, legal, ethical, political) aspects.
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) are not research organisations but have a specific concern regarding RWM safety. They are involved in the implementation of the UNECE Aarhus Convention, which reinforces the requirements relating to information accessibility, public participation in decision-making, and access to justice in environmental matters. European programmes therefore undertake work to address these requirements through local and national stakeholder engagement activities to enable Civil Society (via representative organisations, e.g. Non-Government Organizations, Local Community Partnerships, etc.) to participate in defining their national RD&D programmes and the evaluation of RD&D results in the perspective of safety.
Interacting with Civil Society is important in this perspective and therefore one objective of EURAD is to allow interactions between WMOs, TSOs, REs and Civil Society Organisations. These interactions will facilitate the translation of scientific/technical results and create the conditions for Civil Society Organisations to express their expectations and views. Such interactions will improve the mutual understanding of RD&D performed to support the development of safe solutions in the processing and disposal of radioactive waste. It will also contribute to the development of ideas, propositions and methodologies on how to interact with Civil Society to successfully convey scientific and technical results and uncertainties (inherently linked to the long timeframes and numerous processes considered for geological disposal), and on how to interact with Civil Society stakeholders in order to promote mutual benefit of the available knowledge, based on cooperation and sharing.
Funding Bodies
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European Union
Related Documents
Description: The EURAD Roadmap, which sets out clear objectives linking EURAD activities (as listed in the SRA) to milestones typical of different phases of a radioactive waste management.
Last updated: June 14, 2020
EURAD Strategic Research Agenda (SRA)
Description: The Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) of the European Joint Programme on Radioactive Waste Management (EURAD) describes the scientific and technical domains and sub-domains and knowledge management needs of common interest between EURAD participant organisations.
Last updated: June 14, 2020
Description: The EURAD Vision document, which sets out EURAD's Vision, goals, governing principles, scope and objectives, and how EURAD will complement national programmes.
Last updated: June 14, 2020
EURAD Newsletter #1 – June 2020
Description: 1st Newsletter of EURAD - published June 2020.
Last updated: June 24, 2020
Introductory Course on EURAD and Radioactive Waste Management – Preliminary Agenda
Description: The preliminary agenda for the Introductory Course on EURAD and Radioactive Waste Management, to be held by video conference on 14 September 2020.
Last updated: June 24, 2020
IGD-TP Position Paper 2019-01: Position for the First EURAD General Assembly
Description: IGD-TP Position Paper 2019-01 providing inputs to the first EURAD General Assembly. Published October 2019.
Last updated: October 14, 2019
IGD-TP Position Paper 2019-02: Position on Knowledge Management in EURAD
Description: IGD-TP Position Paper 2019-02 providing thoughts on knowledge management activities in EURAD. Published October 2019.
Last updated: October 14, 2019
IGD-TP Position Paper 2020-01: Feedback on EURAD so far
Description: IGD-TP Position Paper 2020-01 providing feedback on EURAD so far. Published March 2020.
Last updated: March 6, 2020
EURAD Newsletter #3 – December 2020
Description: EURAD's 3rd newsletter, published in December 2020.
Last updated: January 7, 2021
First EURAD Annual Event (2021) Flyer
Description: Flyer for the first EURAD annual event, to be held virtually on 16 - 18 March 2021.
Last updated: January 7, 2021
IGD-TP Position Paper 2021-01: WMO Response to EURAD SRA Plan
Description: IGD-TP Position Paper 2021-01 providing WMO College feedback on plans for revision of the EURAD SRA. Published May 2021.
Last updated: May 24, 2021
EURAD Newsletter #5 – June 2021
Description: EURAD's 5th newsletter, published in June 2021.
Last updated: June 30, 2021
EURAD Newsletter #6 – October 2021
Description: EURAD's 6th newsletter, published in October 2021.
Last updated: October 27, 2021
EURAD Newsletter #7 – December 2021
Description: EURAD's 7th newsletter, published in December 2021.
Last updated: December 16, 2021
EURAD Newsletter #8 – April 2022
Description: EURAD's 8th newsletter, published in April 2022.
Last updated: April 13, 2022
Description: Deliverable 9.12 of the EURAD/ROUTES project: "Studies and plans for developing shared solutions for radioactive waste management in Europe"
Last updated: June 16, 2022
Description: Deliverable 9.16 of the EURAD/ROUTES project: "Implementation of the ROUTES ICS action plan first phase - CS discussion and input focused on the first topic identified in the ICS action plan"
Last updated: June 16, 2022
Description: Deliverable 9.4 of the EURAD/ROUTES project: "Overview of existing work on categorization/classification of RWs in participating states"
Last updated: June 16, 2022
EURAD/ROUTES – D9.15: Scoping of ROUTES, Initial ICS Input and ICS Action Plan
Description: Deliverable 9.15 of the EURAD/ROUTES project: "Scoping of ROUTES, Initial ICS Input and ICS Action Plan"
Last updated: June 16, 2022
EURAD D1.7: EURAD Roadmap, extended with Competence Matrix
Description: EURAD deliverable 1.7: "EURAD Roadmap, extended with Competence Matrix"
Last updated: June 16, 2022
EURAD D1.8: Process for the extensive update of the EURAD SRA
Description: EURAD deliverable 1.8: "Process for the extensive update of the EURAD SRA"
Last updated: June 16, 2022
EURAD D1.10: Identification of Subject Matter/Theme Experts
Description: EURAD deliverable 1.10: "Identification of Subject Matter/Theme Experts"
Last updated: June 16, 2022
EURAD D1.13: List of members of the Civil Society group
Description: EURAD Deliverable 1.13: "List of members of the Civil Society group"
Last updated: June 16, 2022
EURAD/ACED D2.4: Treatment of chemical evolutions in national programmes
Description: EURAD/ACED Deliverable 2.4: "Treatment of chemical evolutions in national programmes"
Last updated: June 16, 2022
EURAD/ACED D2.5: Experiments and numerical model studies on interfaces
Description: EURAD/ACED Deliverable 2.5: "Experiments and numerical model studies on interfaces"
Last updated: June 16, 2022
Description: EURAD/ACED Deliverable 2.10: "HLW: Report describing the selected experiments and the existing/expected experimental results"
Last updated: June 16, 2022
Description: EURAD/ACED Deliverable 2.6: "Modelling of the steel-clay interface - approaches, first results and model refinements"
Last updated: June 16, 2022
Description: EURAD/ACED Deliverable 2.8: "First results on the thermodynamic databases and reactive transport models for steel-cement interfaces at high temperature"
Last updated: June 16, 2022
Description: EURAD/ACED Deliverable 2.11: "ILW: Report describing the selected experiments and the existing/expected experimental results"
Last updated: June 16, 2022
Description: EURAD/ACED Deliverable 2.18: "Model abstraction methods for upscaling and integration of process knowledge in reactive transport models for geological disposal of radioactive waste"
Last updated: June 16, 2022
EURAD/CORI D3.1: State-of-the-art report on cement-organic-radionuclide interactions
Description: EURAD/CORI Deliverable 3.1: "State-of-the-art report on cement-organic-radionuclide interactions"
Last updated: June 16, 2022
EURAD/CORI D3.3: Training Materials
Description: EURAD/CORI Deliverable 3.3: "Training Materials" on cement-organic- radionuclide-interactions.
Last updated: June 16, 2022
EURAD/DONUT D4.1: State Of The Art in the fields of numerical analysis and scientific computing
Description: EURAD/DONUT Deliverable 4.1: "State Of The Art in the fields of numerical analysis and scientific computing"
Last updated: June 16, 2022
Description: EURAD Deliverable 5.1: "State-of-the-Art report on the understanding of radionuclide retention and transport in clay and crystalline host rocks"
Last updated: June 16, 2022
EURAD/GAS D6.1: Initial State of the Art on Gas Transport in Clayey Materials
Description: EURAD/GAS Deliverable 6.1: "Initial State of the Art on Gas Transport in Clayey Materials"
Last updated: June 16, 2022
EURAD/GAS D6.3: Training Materials of the 1st GAS/HITEC joint training course
Description: EURAD/GAS Deliverable 6.3: "Training Materials of the 1st GAS/HITEC joint training course"
Last updated: June 16, 2022
Description: EURAD/HITEC Deliverable 7.1: "Initial State-Of-The-Art on THM Behaviour of I) Buffer Clay Materials and of II) Host Clay Materials".
Last updated: June 17, 2022
EURAD/SFC D8.1: Spent Fuel Characterization and Evolution Until Disposal
Description: EURAD/SFC Deliverable 8.1: "Spent Fuel Characterization and Evolution Until Disposal".
Last updated: June 17, 2022
EURAD/UMAN D10.10: UMAN – Analysis and description of groups of different actors
Description: EURAD/UMAN Deliverable 10.10: "UMAN - Analysis and description of groups of different actors".
Last updated: June 17, 2022
EURAD D11.1: Screening and review of existing/available knowledge management approaches and/or tools
Description: EURAD Deliverable 11.1: "Screening and review of existing/available knowledge management approaches and/or tools".
Last updated: June 17, 2022
Description: EURAD Deliverable 11.2: "List of selected demonstration cases, criteria for final selection, proposal and estimation of effort and resources".
Last updated: June 17, 2022
Description: EURAD Deliverable 12.4: "Guidance on Cost Assessment and Financing Schemes of Radioactive Waste Management Programmes".
Last updated: June 17, 2022
Description: EURAD Deliverable 13.1: "List of training needs from Research, Development and Demonstration and Strategic Studies Work Packages".
Last updated: June 17, 2022
EURAD D13.2: Mapping of available course materials
Description: EURAD Deliverable 13.2: "Mapping of available course materials".
Last updated: June 17, 2022
Description: EURAD Deliverable 13.5: "Quality criteria and training specifications as a reference guide of requirements and expectations of the training courses to be developed".
Last updated: June 17, 2022
Description: EURAD/MAGIC Deliverable 16.3: "Report on selected experiments for assessing the evolution of concrete, their mechanical safety function and performance targets".
Last updated: June 17, 2022
EURAD Newsletter #9 – June 2022
Description: EURAD's 9th newsletter, published in June 2022.
Last updated: June 28, 2022
IGD-TP Members Participating in the Activity
ANDRA
Member of Executive Group
Agence Nationale pour la gestion des déchets radioactifs
The French National Radioactive Waste Management Agency.
Contact: Stephan Schumacher Send message
ARAO
Slovenian Agency for Radioactive Waste Management
Contact: Leon Kegel Send message
BGE (Bundesgesellschaft für Endlagerung mbH)
Member of Executive Group
The German national waste management organisation.
Contact: Astrid Göbel Send message
Le Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)
French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission
Contact: Catherine Rabbe Send message
Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT)
Center for Energy, Environmental and Technological Research
Contact: Tiziana Missana Send message
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
The National Center for Scientific Research, France
Contact: Michel Cathelineau Send message
COVRA
Member of Executive Group
Centrale Organisatie Voor Radioactief Afval
Contact: Ewoud Verhoef Send message
ENRESA
Member of Executive Group
Empresa Nacional de Residuos Radioactivos S.A.
Contact: Mariano Navarro Send message
Contact: Juan-Carlos Major Send message
Gesellschaft für Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit mbH (GRS)
Contact: Tilmann Rothfuchs Send message
Contact: Klaus Fischer-Appelt Send message
Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology (IChTJ)
Contact: Graznya Zakrzewska Send message
IST/CTN, Technical University of Lisbon
Contact: Isabel Paiva (radiation protection and radioactive waste management expert) Send message
European Commission, Joint Research Center (JRC), Institute for Transuranium
The mission of the JRC Institute for Transuranium Elements (JRC-ITU) is to provide the scientific foundation for the protection of European citizens against risks associated with the handling and storage of highly radioactive material. JRC-ITU’s prime objectives are to serve as a reference centre for basic actinide research, to contribute to an effective safety and safeguards system for the nuclear fuel cycle, and to study technological and medical applications of radionuclides/actinides.
Contact: Jean-Paul Glatz Send message
Forschungszentrum Jülich
Contact: Dirk Bosbach Send message
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
Contact: Horst Geckeis Send message
Lithuanian Energy Institute (LEI)
Contact: Povilas Poškas Send message
Nagra
Member of Executive Group
Nationale Genossenschaft für die Lagerung radioaktiver Abfälle
Contact: Irina Gaus Send message
Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group (NRG)
Contact: Arjen Poley Send message
ONDRAF/NIRAS
Member of Executive Group
The Belgian Agency for Radioactive Waste and Enriched Fissile Materials
Contact: Maarten Van Geet Send message
Posiva Oy
Member of Executive Group
Nuclear Waste Management Expert
Contact: Tiina Jalonen Send message
Laboratory for Waste Management (LES)/Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI)
Contact: Sergey Churakov Send message
Institutul de Cercetari Nucleare Pitesti (ICN Pitesti)
Institute for Nuclear Research Pitesti
Contact: Daniela Diaconu Send message
Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) [Previously RWM]
Member of Executive Group
Nuclear Waste Services (changed from Radioactive Waste Management Limited in 2022)
Contact: Jonathan Martin Send message
SCK – CEN
Belgian Nuclear Research Centre
Contact: Christophe Bruggeman Send message
Svensk Kärnbränslehantering AB (SKB)
Member of Executive Group
Svensk Kärnbränslehantering AB
Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co.
Contact: Björn Herschend Send message
SÚRAO
Member of Executive Group
Správa úložišť radioaktivních odpadů
Radioactive Waste Repository Authority, Czechia
Contact: Lukáš Vondrovic Send message
Contact: Markéta Dohnálková Send message
Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO)
Contact: Ton Wildenborg Send message
Contact: Mariëlle Koenen Send message
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
Contact: Erika Holt Send message