Radioactive Waste: Feedback of 40-Year Operations in France

France’s experience in the management of radioactive waste is supported by forty years of operational activities in the field of surface disposal. This feedback is related to three disposal facilities: Centre de la Manche disposal, not far away Cherbourg, from design to post-closure facility. Centre at Soulaines-Dhuys from site selection to design to operation during nearly 20 years. Centre at Morvilliers from site selection to operation for seven years now. During the operational period of Centre de la Manche disposal facility (1969–1994), the safety concept for low- and intermediate level short lived waste (LIL-SLW) was developed and progressively incorporated in the procedures of the facility. The facility entered its institutional control period and the experience of this facility has been useful for the operating facilities. Centre de l’Aube that took over Centre de la Manche, and Morvilliers for very low level wastes. Both facilities currently accommodate the major part of the volume of radioactive wastes that are generated in France. However disposal facilities have to be considered as rare resources. Then new waste management options are being investigated as the disposal of large components or recycling metallic wastes within the nuclear industry.