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:: Radioactive waste

Emerging issues

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Major Assessments

IAEA

Identification of Radioactive Sources and Devices
IAEA Nuclear Security Series No. 5, 2007 .ISBN 92-0-111406-0
This manual has been produced as part of the IAEA’s Action Plan for the Safety of Radiation Sources and Security of Radioactive Material. It is intended to: assist in the recognition and identification of objects thought to be radioactive devices, sources and transport packages; provide instruction on what to do and how to obtain further help; enhance awareness of the existence of radioactive devices, sources and transport packages; and provide information on the International Catalogue of Sealed Radioactive Sources and Devices through regulatory authorities in IAEA Member States. It will also help in identifying sources for events that are reported for inclusion in the IAEA’s Illicit Trafficking Database..
 
     

Radiation, People and the Environment
Produced by the IAEA Division of Public Information, February 2004.
Produced in close co-operation with the UK National Radiological Protection Board, the book provides a broad overview on the subject of ionizing radiation, its effects and uses, as well as the measures in place to ensure it can be used safely. It also discusses the benefits and risks of practices that use such radiation in medicine, industry and energy production and considers some topical concerns about environmental pollution, waste management, emergencies and transportation safety.

 
     

Security of Radioactive Sources
STI/PUB/1165, 617 pp.; 33 figures; 2003, ISBN 92-0-107403-4, English, 12 September 2003.
The International Conference on Security of Radioactive Sources was organized with the aims of promoting information exchange on, and raising awareness of, key issues relating to the security of high risk radioactive sources, and of fostering a better understanding of the measures necessary to improve the security of such sources and to enhance preparedness for radiological emergencies. These proceedings contain the addresses and papers presented at the conference, as well as records of the discussions and the conference findings.

 
     

Radiological Conditions in Areas of Kuwait with Residues of Depleted Uranium
STI/PUB/1164, 73 pp.; 12 figures; 2003, ISBN 92-0-106603-1, English, 10 September 2003.
This report, prepared by an international group of experts, constitutes the first comprehensive radiological assessment of compliance with international radiation protection criteria and standards for areas with residues of depleted uranium munitions carried out under the auspices of the IAEA. It provides a detailed description of the IAEA’s investigation of the radiological conditions in areas of Kuwait with residues of depleted uranium, the results of the radiological assessment, the overall and site specific findings and conclusions of the assessment, and the recommendations of the expert group.

 
     

The Long Term Storage of Radioactive Waste: Safety and Sustainability
IAEA, 2003. IAEA-LTS/RW.
This position paper of international experts focuses on factors influencing decisions on the storage and geological disposal of highly radioactive wastes.

 
     

Climate Change and Nuclear Power
IAEA, 2000. This booklet summarizes nuclear power's current status, including the issues of cost, safety, waste management and nuclear non proliferation and its potential for contributing to the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions called for in the Climate Change Convention.

   
     

Radioactive Waste Management - Turning Options into Solutions
IAEA, 2000. This report summarizes the presentations and discussions held during the Scientific Forum (19-20 September 2000) at the 44th Regular Session of the General Conference.

   
     

Nuclear Power for Greenhouse Gas Mitigation
IAEA, 2000. This publication briefly assesses, under the Kyoto Protocol, nuclear power's role in light of global environmental challenges and energy needs, and includes national case studies on China, India, Viet Nam and Pakistan to explore the potential role of nuclear power as a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) technology.

   
     

Sustainable Development: A Role for Nuclear Power?
IAEA, 1999. This report summarizes the presentations and discussions held during the Scientific Forum (28-29 September 1999) at the 43rd Regular Session of the General Conference.

   
     

Sustainable Development and Nuclear Power
IAEA, 1997. This brochure discusses the concerns that limit the acceptance of nuclear power - the perceived health effects, consequences of severe accidents, disposal of high level waste and nuclear proliferation. It outlines the distinct advantages of nuclear power and make extensive comparisons with other energy sources.

 
     

Ten Years after Chernobyl: What Do We Really Know?
IAEA, 1996. This booklet highlights the results of an international conference in 1996 sponsored by the IAEA, World Health Organization, and European Community on the consequences of the 1986 accident. It is based principally upon the results of an international conference, "One Decade After Chernobyl: Summing Up the Consequences of the Accident," which brought together more than 800 experts from 71 countries in Vienna in April 1996 under sponsorship of the European Commission (EC), WHO and IAEA.

 
     

Environmental Impact of Radioactive Release
Proceedings of a Symposium, Vienna, 8-12 May 1995
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1995 874 p.

   
     

UN

Optimizing the international effort to study, mitigate and minimize the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster
United Nations, August 2003. A/58/332.
Strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance: strengthening of international cooperation and coordination of efforts to study, mitigate and minimize the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster.

   
     

Management of Toxic Chemical and Hazardous and Radioactive Wastes - Report of the Secretary-General
E/CN.17/2001/PC/19. prepared by the United Nations Environment Programme as task manager for chapters 19 and 20 of Agenda 21 and the International Atomic Energy Agency as task manager for chapter 22, with contributions from other United Nations agencies and international organizations. March 2001.
Available through the Johannesburg Summit prepcom1 webpage: http://www.johannesburgsummit.org/html/documents/ prepcom1.html

   
     

UNEP

UNEP Depleted Uranium Awareness Leaflet
Post-Conflict Assessment Unit, United Nations Environment Programme, September 2003.


   
     

Depleted Uranium in Bosnia and Herzegovina - Post-Conflict Environmental Assessment
Post-Conflict Assessment Unit, United Nations Environment Programme, March 2003, Geneva.
This report confirms for the first time that DU from weapons used in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1994 and 1995 has contaminated local supplies of drinking water at one site, and can still be found in dust particles suspended in the air. The UNEP team who collated the information included representatives from WHO and IAEA.

  PC_yugoslavia
     

Depleted Uranium in Serbia and Montenegro: Post-Conflict Environmental Assessment in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Post-Conflict Assessment Unit, United Nations Environment Programme, March 2002, Geneva.
ISBN 92-807-2146-1

   
     

Depleted Uranium in Kosovo: Post-Conflict Environmental Assessment
Balkans Unit, United Nations Environment Programme, Geneva, 2001.

   
     

UNSCEAR

Hereditary Effects of Radiation
United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR), 2001.
UNSCEAR 2001 Report to the General Assembly, with Scientific Annex.
This report includes an evaluation of those diseases, which have both hereditary and environmental components, the so-called multifactorial diseases. This report provides a unique scientific basis for estimating radiation risk, establishing radiation protection and safety standards and regulating radiation sources for governments and organizations throughout the world.
http://www.unscear.org/reports/2001.html

 
     

Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation
United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR), 2000.
2000 Report to the General Assembly, with scientific annexes.
Volume I: SOURCES: http://www.unscear.org/reports/2000_1.html
Volume II: EFECTS: http://www.unscear.org/reports/2000_2.html

   
     

WHO

Depleted Uranium Fact Sheet
WHO, Geneva 2003.

   
     

Depleted Uranium: Sources, Exposure and Health Effects
WHO, Geneva 2001 (WHO/SDE/PHE/01.1).
This scientific review on depleted uranium is part of WHO's ongoing process of assessment of possible health effects of exposure to chemical, physical and biological agents. Concerns about possible health consequences to populations residing in conflict areas where depleted uranium munitions were used have raised many important environmental health questions that are addressed.
Executive summeries are available in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Chines

   
     

Indicators

IAEA

Calculator for the Indicator of Sustainable Development for Radioactive Waste Managements
IAEA Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology (NEFW) within the Department of Nuclear Energy developped an Indicator of Sustainable Development (ISD) for the management of radioactive waste (RW). The ISD-RW: recognizes the shortcomings of a purely volume based approach for an indicator, is a single, dimensionless indicator that includes a consideration of waste volumes in its derivation, and provides a measure of both the current status of radioactive waste management at any point in time and the progress made over time towards the sustainability of radioactive waste management. This measure can be at the national level for a country or it can be at sectoral levels, such as nuclear applications (e.g., medical and industrial applications).

 

Links and Resources

UN resources

Agenda 21, Chapter 22
IAEA
IAEA/NEWMDB
UNSCEAR
UNEP/PCAU/DU

 

© UNEP/DEWA/Earthwatch 1996-2007


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