Disposal involves the isolation of radioactive wastes in a suitable facility without the intention to retrieve and with minimal requirements of long-term surveillance or maintenance.  Internationally, there is general agreement that deep disposal in geological formations, below 300m represents the safest and most sustainable option for the long-term management of high-level waste and spent fuel subject to direct disposal.  The concept has evolved over the last few years to incorporate extended monitoring and the possibility for its retrieval if required in the future. 

For very low level waste, low level waste and short-lived intermediate level waste, there is international consensus that this can be safely disposed of in near-surface facilities at a depth of no more than 30 m.  The underlying assumption is that deposited radioactive waste will decay to background levels before institutional control is lost (within about 300 years).

Radioactive waste means radioactive material in gaseous, liquid or solid form for which no further use is foreseen [definition given by the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management]

Spent fuel is the name given to nuclear fuel that has been removed from a nuclear power or research reactor following irradiation.  It is a mixture of plutonium, uranium and waste materials and is no longer usable as fuel.  It is extremely radioactive and generates a large amount of heat and must be carefully managed.   Individual Member States take different approaches to the long-term management of spent fuel, but all involve a period of interim storage at the nuclear power plant or research reactor site following the removal of the fuel from the reactor.

Directive 2009/71/EURATOM establishing a Community framework for the nuclear safety of nuclear installations

Worldwide, the nuclear safety of nuclear installations is governed by national legislation and the international conventions. Within the EU, this is being supplemented by an EU Directive.

EU legislation in the field of nuclear safety

The EU also supports nuclear safety and the protection of the public through legislation contained in a series of Directives. Across the EU, the Basic Safety Standards Directive sets out standards for radiation protection in the Member States.

Nuclear regulatory authority

The designated UK Nuclear Regulatory Authority responsible for regulating safety and security is the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Regulation is implemented by HSE's Nuclear Directorate (ND), of which the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) is the major part, alongside the Office for Civil Nuclear Security and the UK Safeguards Office.

Nuclear regulatory authority

Nuclear safety regulation in Sweden is the responsibility of the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority.

Nuclear regulatory authority

The Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear, the sole authority in the field of nuclear safety and radiation protection, is in charge of supervising the nuclear and radioactive facilities in Spain. It oversees every phase in each facility, from licensing and operation through to decommissioning. It is an independent body of the general state administration which stands before the parliament.

Nuclear regulatory authority