KINS is providing technical support to the regulatory authority in Korea, Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC), in its review of the construction permit and operating licence application submitted by the Korea Radioactive Waste Agency (KORAD) for the Wolseong Low and Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Centre (WLDC). As part of its review process, KINS is conducting an independent safety assessment from the regulatory point of view.

The WLDC comprises three distinct radioactive waste disposal facilities. KINS is currently supporting a review of the second of those facilities, an engineered near-surface disposal facility. The nature of the proposed facility and wastes means that there is a need to assess the release, transport and potential impacts associated with gaseous radionuclides from the facility.

The training course focussed on the mechanisms which control and determine the rate of gas generation from different waste forms, and subsequent transport through a near-surface disposal facility and release to the surface environment. Conceptual and mathematical models relating to the release, transport and impacts of C-14, Rn-222 and H-3 were discussed. This included discussion of the use of particular software tools to undertake calculations to support different parts of the safety case.

The course also covered the development of and review of waste acceptance criteria, the process of optimisation in the design and operation of a waste disposal facility (including the use of supporting options appraisals and best available technique (BAT) studies) and the development of safety case arguments relating to the gaseous release of radionuclides.