CSA N292.0:24

Preface

This is the third edition of CSA N292.0, Radioactive waste management: Common requirements of the CSA N292 series of Standards. It supersedes the previous editions published in 2019 and 2014, under the title General principles for the management of radioactive waste and irradiated fuel.

Changes from the previous edition to this edition include the following:

a) the contents of this Standard have been restructured and consolidated to align with the steps in radioactive waste management (i.e., generation, handling, processing, transport, storage, and disposal);

b) requirements and guidance on Indigenous, public, and stakeholder engagement have been added for waste management facilities;

c) the contents of CSA N292.3, Management of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste, pertaining to packaging, processing, handling, and storage for decay have been merged into this Standard; as such, this edition of this Standard also supersedes CSA N292.3;

d) Figure 1 has been replaced with an illustration of the steps in radioactive waste management;

e) Annex A has been limited to address radioactive waste classification only;

f) Annex B has been removed since its contents (on methods of waste characterization) are now included in CSA N292.8; and

g) Annex C (Bibliography) has been removed.

This Standard is part of the CSA N292 series of Standards on radioactive waste management. It specifies common requirements and guidance throughout the process of managing radioactive waste and irradiated fuel. This is the CSA N292 series’ umbrella Standard, which is to be used in concert with all other Standards in the CSA N292 series.

The CSA N-Series Standards provide an interlinked set of requirements for the management of nuclear facilities and activities. CSA N286 provides overall direction to management to develop and implement sound management practices and controls, while the other CSA Group nuclear Standards provide technical requirements and guidance that support the management system. This Standard works in harmony with CSA N286 and does not duplicate the generic requirements of CSA N286; however, it might provide more specific direction for those requirements.

This Standard draws on the experience both in Canada and internationally in the management of radioactive waste and irradiated fuel and reflects current best practices.

Users of this Standard are reminded that the design, manufacture, construction, commissioning, operation, and decommissioning of nuclear facilities in Canada are subject to the provisions of the Nuclear Safety and Control Act and its supporting Regulations.

This Standard was prepared by the Subcommittee on Management of Radioactive Waste and Irradiated Fuel, under the jurisdiction of the Technical Committee on Radioactive Waste Management and the Strategic Steering Committee on Nuclear Standards, and has been formally approved by the Technical Committee.

Scope

1.1 Radioactive waste and irradiated fuel

This Standard specifies requirements and guidance throughout the process of managing radioactive waste and irradiated fuel.

Notes:

1) This includes solid, liquid, and gaseous waste forms.

2) Radioactive waste includes mixed waste.

3) In this Standard, both the terms waste and radioactive waste are used to refer to radioactive waste and irradiated fuel.

1.2 Steps in the radioactive waste management process

In this Standard, requirements and guidance are specified for the following steps in the radioactive waste management process:

a) generation (see Clause 5);

b) handling (see Clause 6);

c) processing (see Clause 7);

d) transport (see Clause 8);

e) storage (see Clause 9); and

f) disposal (see Clause 10).

Note: General requirements and guidance for radioactive waste management are outlined in Clause 4.

1.3 Waste packages and waste management facilities

This Standard includes specific requirements and guidance for

a) waste packages (see Clause 11); and

b) waste management facilities (see Clause 12).

Notes:

1) Waste management facilities are facilities for processing, storage, or disposal of radioactive waste.

2) Requirements for waste packages, storage facilities, and disposal facilities in Canada are provided in Sections 9, 10, and 11, respectively, of CNSC REGDOC-2.11.1, Volume I.

3) For additional requirements and guidance pertaining to specific types of waste management facilities, see CSA N292.4 and CSA N292.7. Decommissioning of applicable waste management facilities is covered by CSA N294.

1.4 Exclusions

This Standard excludes management of the following types of radioactive waste:

a) NORM and TENORM; and

b) uranium mine and mill tailings.

Note: While this Standard is not applicable to the management of the above radioactive waste types, the principles in this Standard can be useful for their management.

1.5 CSA N292 series of Standards

This is an umbrella Standard in the CSA N292 series of Standards and is used in conjunction with the other CSA N292 Standards.

1.6 Users

This Standard applies to waste organizations or facilities of all sizes that generate, handle, process, transport, store, and dispose radioactive waste.

Note: Examples of facilities include, but are not limited to, nuclear reactors, waste management facilities, research institutes, medical facilities, manufacturing facilities, laboratories, and industrial facilities.

1.7 Terminology

In this Standard, shall is used to express a requirement, i.e., a provision that the user is obliged to satisfy in order to comply with the Standard; should is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and may is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of the Standard.

Notes accompanying clauses do not include requirements or alternative requirements; the purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material.

Notes to tables and figures are considered part of the table or figure and may be written as requirements.

Annexes are designated normative (mandatory) or informative (non-mandatory) to define their application.

1.8 Additional terminology

In this Standard, shall be considered or shall consider means that the user evaluates the impact and documents any decisions.