IGD-TP Symposium and Webinar: The role of optimisation in radioactive waste geological disposal programmes

Registration: Registration for the Symposium and Webinar has now closed.

Registration fee: The costs of both events are subsidised by the IGD-TP.  However, a small fee is required to support the Symposium:

• Option 1: Registration fee (€200). Includes participation on both days, refreshments and lunch.
• Option 2: Registration fee and dinner (€250). Includes Option 1 plus a 3-course dinner at the Sheraton Zurich on day 1.
• Option 3: Registration fee and day 3 excursion (€250). Includes Option 1 plus the day 3 excursion (transport, refreshments, lunch, site).
• Option 4: Full package (€300). Includes all options (meeting attendance, dinner and excursion).

*** The dinner on day 1 is now FULL ***

The Webinar is free to attend for all.

All registrations would be refunded in full if the physical event were to be cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  Please note that a COVID certificate may be needed for travel and to enter the premises.

Poster submission: Poster submission has now closed.

The submission must include the poster title, authors and their affiliations, and an abstract of no more than 300 words.  We strongly encourage you to submit poster applications that align to the IGD‑TP Strategic Research Agenda; the Key Topic area that your poster is most closely linked to must be identified.  There will be a prize for the best poster.

Accepted poster authors will be notified in early August and a release consent form supplied at that time.  The poster presenter must physically attend the Symposium.

Guidance: Poster sessions will be grouped according to Key Topics in the IGD-TP Strategic Research Agenda (SRA).  The nine SRA topics are:

1. Post-closure Safety Case
2. Wasteforms and their Behaviour
3. Technical Feasibility and Long-term Performance
4. Implementation and/or Optimisation
5. Safety of Construction and Operations
6. Monitoring
7. Methodologies for Site Characterisation
8. Strategy for Repository Project Development
9. Knowledge Management

The posters will be set up in the refreshment area within the Symposium venue to increase visibility and attendee interaction.  One of the significant advantages of a poster presentation is that it allows one-on-one time with the audience for exchange of information and to answer questions.  Poster presenters are encouraged to verbally and visually convey the importance of their subject, including its implications and significance.

The posters will be displayed electronically and must be provided by 12 September 2022 to secretariat@igdtp.eu.  A PDF file format is requested.  The electronic monitors are 55”, with portrait dimensions 1250mm (H) x 790mm (W) (ratio 9:16), and HD 1080 x 1920 pixels or UHD 2160 x 3840 pixels.

Symposium posters will also be displayed on this website, increasing the visibility of your work.

Rock laboratory Mont Terri (mont-terri.ch) *** This tour is now FULL ***

The Mont Terri rock laboratory is situated to the north of St-Ursanne in the canton of Jura, around 300 m underground.  It is accessed via the safety gallery of the Mont Terri motorway tunnel.  The rock laboratory comprises 1200 m of galleries and niches.  The horse-shoe shaped galleries are 4 to 5 m high and well-lit.  The key question being investigated is: can radioactive waste be stored safely in Opalinus Clay?  The Mont Terri rock laboratory is engaged solely in research; no deep geological disposal facility will be built at Mont Terri.  There are 22 partners from Europe, Japan, Canada, United Kingdom, the USA and Switzerland carrying out research at the Mont Terri rock laboratory.  This will be a full-day tour including a small lunch.  The journey time to/from Mont Terri is ca. 120 min (heavily dependent on traffic).  The guided tour is ca. 150 min.  Sensible footwear (rubber soles) is recommended.  The temperature in the tunnels is approx. +14°C all year round so warm clothing is recommended.

ZWILAG Wurenlingen (www.zwilag.ch)  *** This tour is now FULL ***

ZWILAG, the Swiss interim storage facility, is a key link between the generation of waste and its disposal in deep geological repositories.  Until underground repositories are available, radioactive waste must be kept in interim storage for 30 to 40 years.  All categories of radioactive waste generated in Switzerland are processed and temporarily stored in the ZWILAG facility and the neighbouring federal interim storage facility. This will be a half-day tour and will include a small lunch.  The journey time to/from ZWILAG is ca. 60 min.  The guided tour is ca. 120 min.

Grimsel Test Site (www.grimsel.com)

The Nagra Grimsel Test Site (GTS) is an underground research laboratory (URL) located in crystalline rock in the Swiss Alps.  Since 1984, Nagra has worked with more than 20 international partners at the GTS to ensure the availability of scientific and technical expertise in the field of radioactive waste management.  The research has focused on understanding key processes in the geosphere and engineered barriers, as well as on investigating the behaviour of radioactive materials under realistic conditions relevant to deep disposal.  The GTS also hosts large-scale experiments to demonstrate the technical feasibility of complex components at a realistic scale for all types of radioactive waste.  The on-site visit will provide an insight into the current status of research activities at GTS and show the contribution of the various experiments to the challenging development, optimisation and implementation of deep geological repositories.  Last but not least, the stunning landscape also invites a visit.  This will be a full-day tour including a small lunch.  The journey time to/from Grimsel Test Site is ca. 150 min (heavily dependent on traffic).  The guided tour is ca. 120 min.  Sensible footwear (rubber soles) is recommended.  The temperature in the tunnels is approx. +14°C all year round so warm clothing is recommended.

Symposium venue: The Symposium will be held at SIX ConventionPoint, Pfingstweidstrasse 110, 8005 Zurich, Switzerland (https://www.conventionpoint.ch).   Travel directions and advice are provided here.

Accommodation: The cost of accommodation in Zurich is not included in the registration fee and must be booked and paid directly by the participant. We recommend the following two hotels, which are both within walking distance to SIX Convention Point:

• Sheraton Zurich – https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/zrhzs-sheraton-zurich-hotel/
• 25hours-Hotel Zurich West – https://www.25hours-hotels.com/en/hotels/zurich. Note that there are two 25hours-Hotel’s in Zurich – please make sure that you book the Zurich West.

You will find more hotels via Zurich tourism: https://www.zuerich.com/en

Webinar: The access link will be provided directly to registered participants a week before the webinar.

We would like to make this event as accessible as we can.  We strongly encourage you to contact us if you need further information or have any queries.

• The conference rooms and toilets are on the same floor and are wheelchair accessible. A hearing loop is available. Service animals are not allowed.
• The conference dinner venue is wheelchair accessible and has accessible toilets. Service animals are allowed.
• For the optional tours on day 3, participants should be in reasonable physical condition as there are some steps to take and a certain distance to walk.