Non-US advanced low-level radwaste treatment systems

A review of power plant radwaste treatment practices and research in Canada, Japan, Korea and Europe is given. In addition to a review of the available English language literature, visits were made to power plants and research centers in Europe and Japan and to private and government agencies in Korea. the nuclear research centers and power plants which were visited in Japan made use of volume reduction (VR) techniques and on site storage facilities. VR techniques were in use at the two major nuclear research centers in West Germany, and several power plants have made plans to use VR systems. Research on leaching was also being carried out in Japan because they intend to dispose of low level radioactive waste by deep sea disposal. Information concerning the VR systems in Canada included in this report is based on a trip to the Bruce Nuclear Power Development Station in 1977 and on reports and personal communications with Ontario Hydro engineers. The status of the work on radwaste VR systems and radwaste incinerators in the United States is updated along with other significant events concerning VR systems.