CSA N292.0:19

This is the second edition of CSA N292.0, General principles for the management of radioactive waste and irradiated fuel. It supersedes the previous edition, published in 2014.

Changes to this edition include the following:

a) The scope of this Standard has been expanded to include the management of other radioactive materials.

b) Guidance has been provided on the re-characterization of radioactive materials, optimization for disposal, and safety assessments.

c) Further guidance and requirements for containment systems, waste packages, and storage sites have been provided.

d) Further guidance for waste management facilities has been provided for design, site selection, site characterization, non-routine activities, flood management, periodic monitoring, technological obsolescence, knowledge retention, and external collaboration.

e) Terminology and requirements have been updated for harmonization with the CSA N292 series of Standards.

This Standard is part of a series of Standards on radioactive waste management. It specifies common requirements for the management of radioactive waste and irradiated fuel, and is used in concert with all CSA Standards that apply to the management of radioactive waste and irradiated fuel (e.g., CSA N292.1, CSA N292.2, CSA N292.3, CSA N292.5, CSA N292.6, and CSA N294).

Users of this Standard are reminded that the site selection, design, manufacture, construction, installation, commissioning, operation, and decommissioning of nuclear facilities in Canada are subject to the Nuclear Safety and Control Act and its Regulations. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission might impose additional requirements to those specified in this Standard.

The CSA N-Series Standards provide an interlinked set of requirements for the management of nuclear facilities and activities. CSA N286 provides overall direction to management to develop and implement sound management practices and controls, while the other CSA nuclear Standards provide technical requirements and guidance that support the management system. This Standard works in harmony with CSA N286 and does not duplicate the generic requirements of CSA N286; however, it may provide more specific direction for those requirements.

Scope:

1.1

This Standard specifies common requirements for the management of radioactive waste and irradiated fuel from generation to storage or disposal.

Note: This includes management of mixed waste, which can have other management requirements.

1.2

This Standard is used in concert with all CSA standards that apply to the management of radioactive waste and irradiated fuel.

Note: For example, CSA N292.1, CSA N292.2, CSA N292.3, CSA N292.5, CSA N292.6, and CSA N294.

1.3

This Standard applies to waste organizations or facilities of all sizes that generate, possess, manage, process, transport, and dispose radioactive waste and irradiated fuel, including nuclear power reactors, research institutes, medical facilities, manufacturing facilities, laboratories, and industrial facilities.

Note: Waste organizations can refer to waste generators, waste brokers, waste receivers, waste processors, and waste management facility operators.

1.4

The following types of radioactive waste are not addressed in this Standard:

a) naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) and technologically enhanced, naturally occurring radioactive material (TENORM); and

b) uranium mine and mill tailings.

Note: While this Standard is not applicable to the management of mine and mill tailings, the principles in this Standard can be useful for their management.

1.5

In this Standard, “shall” is used to express a requirement, i.e., a provision that the user is obliged to satisfy in order to comply with the Standard; “should” is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and “may” is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of the Standard. Notes accompanying clauses do not include requirements or alternative requirements; the purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material. Notes to tables and figures are considered part of the table or figure and may be written as requirements. Annexes are designated normative (mandatory) or informative (non-mandatory) to define their application.