Treatment and Conditioning of Low- and Intermediate-Level Radioactive Wastes
May 17, 2027 - May 19, 2027
About the course
Treatment and Conditioning of Low- and Intermediate-Level Radioactive Wastes is a practical three-day training course that provides an integrated overview of how radioactive waste is characterised, treated, conditioned and prepared for safe storage and disposal. Participants will learn how different waste streams, from operational, decommissioning and legacy activities, are assessed and managed using modern treatment technologies and conditioning materials. The course covers radiological characterisation, decontamination, waste-treatment routes, conventional and innovative cementitious systems, polymers and bitumen, as well as the selection of suitable waste forms to meet waste acceptance requirements. Through interactive case studies, participants will apply decision-making processes to realistic waste-management challenges and conclude with a technical visit to the El Cabril radioactive waste disposal facility.
Learning outcomes
Course overall learning objective
Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to assess radioactive waste streams and select and justify pretreatment, treatment and conditioning solutions that meet applicable waste acceptance criteria, support long-term safety and disposal requirements, and consider operational, regulatory, sustainability and supply-chain resilience factors.
Course Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Explain the role of pretreatment, treatment and conditioning within the radioactive waste management lifecycle, and assess how waste acceptance criteria (WAC), storage and transport requirements, and disposal constraints influence the selection of management strategies.
- Analyse physical, chemical and radiological characterisation data, taking account of sampling representativeness, inventory gaps and uncertainties, to identify waste properties, management constraints and additional information needs.
- Select and justify pretreatment and decontamination techniques, including sorting and segregation, based on technical feasibility and operational requirements.
- Evaluate alternative treatment technologies for aqueous liquids, organic liquids, spent ion-exchange resins, sludges, metals and solid wastes, considering effectiveness, operability, secondary waste generation and waste minimisation objectives.
- Compare conventional and emerging conditioning matrices, including cementitious systems, alkali-activated and geopolymer systems, polymers and bitumen, considering waste–matrix compatibility, processing requirements, waste loading and long-term performance.
- Identify key qualification and quality assurance requirements for conditioned waste packages, including performance testing, WAC compliance demonstration and assessment of long-term behaviour.
- Evaluate management options for legacy and unconventional wastes, taking account of incomplete records, characterisation uncertainties and retrieval constraints.
- Apply a structured decision-making process within multidisciplinary teams to develop, present and defend integrated treatment and conditioning strategies, considering safety, technical feasibility, environmental impact, sustainability, cost and supply-chain resilience.
Practical information
The course programme can be downloaded here.
20 seats are available, first come first serve basis. Please only register if you are able to attend the training course.
