Treatment and Conditioning of Low- and Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste at the Austrian Research Centers Seibersdorf (ARCS)

Abstract

Abstract The Austrian Research Centers Seibersdorf (ARCS) serve as the country’s centralised facilitiy for the treatment, conditioning and interim storage of low- and intermediate level radioactive waste (Radwaste). All Radwaste originating in Austria is transferred to ARCS and comes from one or several sources: The former operation of a research reactor, the application of radioactive materials in medicine, R&D, industry, IAEA Laboratories at Seibersdorf, and technically enhanced natural radioactive materials, such as by-product at industrial metallurgical processes and other processes, is transferred to ARCS for treatment, conditioning and interim storage. Dependent on the waste category, the relevant treatment technology is applied. In total more then 6900 m3 of low and intermediate level radioactive solid wastes originating from Austria were treated in the period 1976 to 2000. The aim of treatment and conditioning is the safe enclosure of the Radwaste by the use of barriers to surround and isolate the waste and transform it to an insoluble form. At the same time it is important to reduce the volume of the raw waste by applying appropriate treatment technologies, in order to save space in the storage facilities and thereby achieving a cost savings.