Packaging and Conditioning of Solvent Wastes From Decontamination Operation Cernavoda NPP

Solvent wastes produced at Cernavoda NPP consist of miscellaneous acetone, toluene, methanol, chloroform, triclorethan, white spirit and ethylene glycol. These are normally LLW containing only relatively small quantities of beta/gamma emitting radionuclides and varying amounts of tritium with activity below E08Bq/l. This paper is a review of some current innovative work of Waste Management Facility from Institute for Nuclear Research Pitesti in the development of a viable solidification technology to convert solvent wastes into a stable monolithic form, which minimises the probability to release tritium in the environment during interim storage, transportation and final disposal. The paper presents the author’s research on immobilisation of solvent wastes by cementation using aluminium stearate additive. A quality assurance program should accompany the production of waste forms. The goal of all tests should be to obtain a license for a certain process from a competent authority. The process will be clean, which means there will be no secondary waste and low doses to the personnel will be achieved; the product quality will meet any National requirement and the reproducibility of the process meets any QA requirement.