Corrosion Protection of Containers for Radioactive Waste – Storage Requirements –

Radioactive waste must be handled and stored in a controlled manner. The cask/container is an important barrier for retaining the radionuclides. In Germany various types of casks/containers exist for the conditioning of radioactive waste. The type used for a specific application is selected according to the properties of the radioactive waste and the acceptance criteria of the chosen storage facility. The storage of casks/containers also must comply with the acceptance criteria of the existing interim storage facilities as well as the acceptance requirements of the planned repository Konrad. German authorities require qualification of handling concepts, checking of documentations and inspection casks and containers for the safe long-term storage of radioactive waste on behalf of the safe storage of radioactive waste packages. These reviews have to be done by independent experts based on knowledge of all necessary elements of the containers, e.g. material, fabrication facilities including manufacturing, mechanical test results and corrosion protection systems and must be finished before beginning of the storage. In order to achieve consistent standards for corrosion protection systems existing operating instructions and manuals (internal/external) or comparable supporting documents according to standards and regulations (DIN ISO / DIN EN) are of great importance.