Radioactive Waste Management Services

From the waste generated through the use of radioactive isotopes in hospitals, to used fuel bundles generated in the production of nuclear power, there are many forms of radioactive waste. These wastes are generally classified according to the amount and types of radioactivity contained within them, and the length of time it will take before radioactive decay renders them harmless to humans and the environment. Given the dangers of exposure to radioactivity, radioactive waste is strictly managed using a “multi-barrier” approach, often involving final disposal in specially-designed repositories, deep underground. Governments around the world are involved in research and development of such facilities, with a few currently accepting waste, and many more in development. In Canada, organizations such as Nuclear Waste Management Organization and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited are leading efforts to manage our radioactive waste.

Intera has been involved in the management of radioactive wastes since the 1970s, when disposal of such waste deep in the Canadian Shield was proposed. Over the years our firm has been relied upon for our expertise, particularly in physical and contaminant bedrock hydrogeology and in modelling of transport processes within the subsurface, in support of various proposals. As shown in the table below, Intera Engineering Ltd. and our U.S. affiliate have assisted at various stages in virtually every program for the disposal of low level (LLW), intermediate level (ILW), high level (HLW) and transuranic (TRU, which is having an atomic number greater than 92) waste, worldwide. Currently, we are the lead firm in the Geoscientific Site Characterization Program for the Deep Geologic Repository (DGR) for the long-term management of Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG) low and intermediate level radioactive waste at the Bruce nuclear site.

Projects		Site Characterization			Underground Research Laboratory Investigations	Performance Assessment
		Test Plan Design	Field Testing	Data Analysis
HLW Projects	DOE – Yucca Mountain (U.S.) DOE – ONWI/SCEPTER (U.S.) EPA (U.S.) NRC/Sandia (U.S.) AECL (Canada) AECB (Canada) Environment Canada Ontario Power Generation Inc. ELSAM (Denmark) ANDRA (France) TUB (Germany) PNC (Japan) RWMC (Japan) SKB (Sweden) Nagra (Switzerland) Nirex (United Kingdom)	•   •     •         • •	•   •     •         •	•     • • •   • •     • • •	• •       •       • • •	• • • • •   • • • • • •   • •
ILW Projects	GSF(Germany) SKI (Sweden) Nagra (Switzerland) OPG DGR (Canada)	• •	• •	• •	•	• • • •
LLW Projects	DOE - Savannah River (U.S.) LLRWA (U.S.) AECL (Canada) NRCan - STF (Canada) GSF (Germany) Nirex (United Kingdom)	• •       •	• •       •	• • • •   •	•	•   • • • •
TRU Projects	DOE/Sandia-WIPP (U.S.)	•	•	•	•	•

Select from the following links to review our capabilities in support of radioactive waste management:

>> SITE CHARACTERIZATION
>> MODELLING
>> EXPERT REVIEW

>> Back l Home

Intera News & Updates
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22/03/2010
Intera wins 3-year contract for gas transport modelling of the Lasgit Experiment (Large Scale Gas Injection Test).

12/02/2010
3 years and 5000 metres later: drilling at DGR is now complete.

25/02/2010
Dr. Robert Walsh provides mView and TOUGH2 training to Nippon-Koei Research Division in Tsukuba-shi, Japan.

28/01/2010
New Website released.