Radioactive waste reception and management

Radioactive waste are substances, materials or articles containing or contaminated with radionuclides and having an activity greater than or equal to. Radiation Act the exemption levels set out under the exemption and which are not intended to be used in the future. 

Most of Estonia's radioactive waste dates back to the Soviet Union. Today, the main generators of radioactive waste are medical, industrial and research institutions with a radiological licence.

Radioactive waste reception

There are two options for receiving radioactive waste: 

1. In the case of licensed sources, the licensee will contact AS ALARA and inform about the need for waste disposal. For this purpose, a waste application form must be filled in, on the basis of which the operator will prepare a price calculation. Once this has been agreed by the customer, the waste is taken over and the transfer is recorded in a file. The holder of the permit is obliged to submit a copy of the act to the Environment Agency.
2. If the source does not have an owner, i.e. it does not have a licence to operate, the source must first be notified to the Environmental Protection Agency, which will carry out procedures to identify the source and then notify AS ALARA of the need to dispose of the source. 

Radioactive waste is classified into depending on the radionuclides contained in the waste:

1. activity and inactivity;
2. half-life;
3. the type of radiation;
4. the amount of heat generated by radioactive decay.

Radioactive waste management

The storage of hazardous waste is regulated to prevent harm to human health or the environment. Radioactive waste management means the safe treatment, storage and disposal of liquid, solid and gaseous wastes arising from the use of radioactive substances with the aim of protecting people and the environment.

Methods of managing radioactive waste depend on the characteristics of the waste. ALARA uses the following management technologies:

• dismantling,
• pressing,
• stabilisation with concrete,
• temporary storage in a storage room until the activity of the substance falls below the release levels,
• long-term interim storage and disposal, i.e. the final isolation of radioactive waste in either near-surface or geological disposal sites.

Interim storage and disposal of radioactive waste

Radioactive waste can be disposed of in a number of ways, depending on its activity and hazardousness:

• Temporary storage - special facilities where waste is held until a final solution is found. In Estonia, for example, this takes place at the Paldiski interim storage facility for radioactive waste.
• Final disposal - the final solution where the waste is placed in a specialised to a shallow disposal site or deep (60-80 m in Estonia) underground. The aim of final disposal is to isolate the waste permanently so that it no longer poses a risk to the environment or to humans.

Decommissioning of radioactive installations

Decommissioning of radioactive installations means the safe closure, decontamination and dismantling of radioactively contaminated installations (such as nuclear reactors, interim storage or other potentially radioactively contaminated installations) at the end of their operation. It involves the removal or isolation of radioactive materials, the proper handling and storage of waste, and the preparation of the site for further use or long-term monitoring.

Ivo Tatrik

Radioactive waste management service manager

Ivo.Tatrik@alara.ee

+372 515 1111

Kalibreerimislabori teenuse vorm

Omanikuta allikad

FAQ

Is there a radioactive waste repository in Estonia?

Yes, there is an interim storage site for radioactive waste in Estonia. available. It is located in Paldiski and managed by AS ALARA.

What radioactive waste do we accept?

ALARA accepts low and intermediate level radioactive waste from holders of a radiological licence, which is not generated as a result of a production process in an industrial sector involving natural radioactive materials.

For the purpose of the source transfer pricing, at least the following data are required: isotope, activity, time of preparation, number of sources/devices, physical size of the source container or device with photo, location/address, dose rate on the surface of the container or device.

If the source does not have an owner, i.e. the holder of the source does not have a licence, at least the following information is required: photo of the source, location/address, number of sources (pcs, kg, m3), how the source was discovered.

How do you know if substances are radioactive?

Examples of radioactive detection techniques include Geiger-Müller counters, scintillation meters, ionisation chambers and spectrometers. Hazard labels and documentation also indicate the radioactivity of the substance.

What does radioactive waste look like?

The appearance of radioactive waste can vary greatly, depending on its type and shape. It can be gaseous, liquid or solid. In most cases, radioactive waste is contained in sealed containers or packages with an information label.

Do radioactive substances decay over time?

Yes, radioactive substances decay over time, i.e. their radioactivity decreases accordingly. law on radioactive decay. Radioactive substances have different decay times - some decay quickly, others very slowly.

How is radioactive waste managed?

After acceptance by the operator, the radioactive waste is characterised (isotope, activity) and grouped according to the half-life of the isotopes. The source is then dismantled, if possible, and, depending on the type of waste, it is either immediately intermediately stored in a concrete container or undergoes the necessary handling operations (pressing, concreting), packaged in a metal or concrete container and finally placed in an intermediate storage site.

How to get rid of radioactive waste?

For licensed sources, contact AS ALARA and fill in the waste application form for a quotation. Once the offer has been agreed, the waste will be transferred to

In the case of unauthorised sources, i.e. sources without an owner, you must contact the Environment Agency and provide all known information about the source. The Environment Agency will then contact AS ALARA, which will come and dispose of the source.