Radioactive Waste Characterization and Tracking System at the French Atomic Energy Commission

Abstract

CARAIBES is the traceability information system in radioactive solid waste management of the French Atomic Energy Commission, (CEA). Initially developed for the reprocessing facility of low and intermediate level waste of the centre of Cadarache, it has been gradually enhanced to manage very low level waste and the facilities of the centres of Saclay and Fontenay-aux-Roses. This software is directly connectable to characterization equipment as X-Ray measurement, gamma spectrometric measurement and/or neutronic measurement. After 15 years of operation, a new information system should replace it in 2014. This new CARAIBES V2 will make the functional and technical improvements resulting from the CARAIBES feedback but will also allow to manage all produced and/or treated waste in the Atomic Energy Commission and to ensure the traceability of waste and waste treatment before and after its packaging. From the analysis of the processes, waste management was described as an iterative process where, in every step, the facility in charge of a waste will apply a treatment to it (packaging, association or division) and will characterize it in order to evacuate it towards the next facility. Associated with a strongly customizable information system, this process allows the management of all kind of radioactive waste, including radioactive liquids. The final objectives are: to share a unique software and only one database for all CEA’s facilities involved in radioactive waste management, to be able to track the radioactive waste through all steps of its process, to meet the user’s needs as well as the regulatory requirements.