WNTI Back End Transport Working Group: overview of our current work and the coming challenges facing our industry

In 2008, the WNTI established a dedicated Working Group gathering the WNTI expertise on the transport of back end materials, including radioactive waste, spent fuel and decommissioned objectsThe aim of the WNTI Back End Transport Working Group is:Identifying issues with the potential to adversely affect the safety or efficiency of radioactive waste and spent fuel transports,Using the knowledge and experience of its members to obtain a full understanding of these issues and to develop an industry position,Disseminating the learning to stakeholders involved in class 7 transports.The Back-End Transport Working Group focuses on the current following issues:Characterisation of Waste: techniques and methods to characterize and classifywastesLarge Objects: slightly contaminated large objects (ex. spent steam generators)transportDual Use Casks: transportable storage casks for spent nuclear fuels, includingthe very long term storage of spent fuelFissile Exceptions: new fissile exceptions provisions of revised SSR-6The paper will examine the way the WNTI working group supports the nucleartransport industry to manage the challenges throughout the life cycle of nuclear facilities through to final decommissioning.Furthermore, the paper will use a worked example of cask decommissioning to illustrate the support the Working Group provides industry.