02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 AP Particular case of bituminised waste The management of bituminised waste is also monitored under the PNGMDR, 2016-2018, which requested several studies relative to the characterisation of these waste packages, their transport conditions and treatment possibilities. In 2019, ASN made additional information requests(8) to the waste producers and to Andra further to the examination of the study submitted under Article 46 of the Order of 23 February 2017. The requests focus more specifically on the effect of self-irradiation on the thermal behaviour of the bituminised waste packages, on the thermal reactivity of the bituminised coatings, on the long-term swelling considering the long-term behaviour of the Cigéo repository and on the design changes to control the risks associated with the disposal of packages of bituminised waste. The Minister responsible for energy and ASN moreover wanted an independent multidisciplinary assessment drawing on international practices to be conducted on this issue. The conclusions of this assessment were presented in September 2019 to the working group tasked with monitoring the PNGMDR. ASN issued the abovementioned opinion 2020-AV-0369 on 1 December 2020 on the conclusions of the third-party review of bituminised waste management and the 8. The follow-up letters are available on the ASN website under the heading “ASN informs”, “Educational files”, “Management of radioactive waste”, “French National Radioactive Material and Waste Management Plan”, “PNGMDR 2016-2018”. studies on the design changes of the Cigéo ILW-LL disposal vaults which highlight new technical elements since the publication of the opinion of 11 January 2018. ASN therefore considers that the producers must implement an ambitious programme to characterise bituminous waste packages, which is essential in order to demonstrate that some or all of the bituminous waste packages could be disposed of in the projected Cigéo facility with a high level of safety without prior treatment. ASN considers moreover that the bituminised waste packages whose safety once emplaced in the disposal facility could not be demonstrated must undergo further investigations. The CEA informed ASN of the launch in 2021 of a new study programme baptised “Babylon” (grouping Andra and the three major licensees, which explains its other name of “quadripartite” programme”), aiming to inform reflections on the methods of managing bituminised waste by contributing elements from research and development work. ASN welcomed this approach, on which it made remarks in 2022, and keeps regular track of the progress of this programme which is expected to last five years. The PNGMDR 2022-2026 provides for the progress and results of this programme to be presented annually to the PNGMDR governance commissions. From the Safety Options Dossier to the creation authorisation application The Cigéo project was declared of public utility by Decree 2022-993 of 7 July 2022, published in the Official Journal of the French Republic on 8 July. During this process, ASN answered questions from the inquiry commissioners concerning certain technical aspects of the Cigéo project. Furthermore, in accordance with the resolution of 21 February 2020 of the Minister responsible for energy and the ASN Chairman further to the public debate concerning the 5th PNGMDR which, through its “HAMAVL.6” action, will specify the conditions of reversibility of the facility, particularly regarding package retrievability, the decision-making milestones of the Cigéo project and the required method of governance in order to be able to review the choices made. The objectives and success criteria for the industrial pilot phase, the methods of informing the public between two successive updates of the operations master plan provided for in Article L. 542-10-1 of the Environment Code and the methods for involving the public in the decisive development steps of the Cigéo project shall also be defined. Schematic diagram of the Cigéo repository showing the surface and underground facilities Ramps zone Package reception, inspection and preparation zone Shafts zone Works support zone Disposal zone HLW Disposal zone ILW-LL – 420 m – 550 m – 700 m Double ramps ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2024 383 01 Radioactive waste and contaminated sites and soils 15
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