Research and development on waste management for the Fukushima Daiichi NPS by JAEA

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (F1NPS), TEPCO, was severely damaged with the hydrogen explosions caused by losing their cooling functions due to the earthquake and the tsunami occurred on March 11, 2011. Safe and stable conditions of the units 1 through 3 of the reactors, which were under operation at the earthquake, have been kept by the equipped circulation water cooling systems with decontamination devices. These reactors and unit 4, which was out of service at that moment but also damaged by the explosion, were decided to proceed to decommission and demolition (D&D) based on the national program. Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has been involved widely in the science and technical areas to support the D&D activities including the radioactive waste management. Radioactive wastes generated from the current F1NPS and future their D&D are greater amount than those from general reactors and nuclear fuel facilities. Properties of the wastes are also different with difficulties in characterization, processing and disposal; fuel debris reacted with metals and concrete materials in the reactor, sludge containing seawater substances, etc. Toward accomplishing safe and reasonable management of the wastes, great effort of R&Ds has been strongly required and performed in bringing together the knowledge and experience of all of Japan. This report outlines the current status of the R&Ds performed in JAEA.