Establishing a Radioactive Waste Management Center of Excellence in East Asia

Several East Asian countries have well-developed civilian nuclear programs, and several more countries in the region have expressed interest in developing such programs. Countries that are just embarking on a nuclear-power program have expressed an interest in developing an entire life cycle for the management of nuclear materials used for power generation. Those that currently are generating power from nuclear reactors also have expressed the desire to better manage the nuclear fuel cycle. Management of materials associated with the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle (i.e., high- and low-level radioactive wastes) remains a persistent issue for many programs in East Asia. Safe management of materials at the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle is important for a variety of reasons. Many people view improper storage and disposal of nuclear materials as a safety problem; further, controlled storage is a major component of reducing the risk of improper diversion of radiological materials. International protocols require the ability to track and confirm the status of nuclear materials for assurances that agreements are being respected. In addition to civilian nuclear-power programs, more than 60 research reactors currently operate in eleven East Asian countries. Many of these used highly enriched uranium as fuel, which can pose a separate and additional risk for proliferation of materials useful for weapons of mass destruction.