Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, Sweden National Report

Spent fuel in Sweden emanates mainly from four commercial nuclear power plants. In addition there is one material testing reactor and one research reactor. The radioactive waste originates from the nuclear power industry as well as medical use, industry, research and consumer products. Past research activities have also generated some waste, which are either stored or have already been disposed of.<br/>Under Swedish law, the holder of a licence to operate a nuclear facility is primarily responsible for the safe handling and disposal of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste, as well as decommissioning and dismantling of the facility. The four utilities operating nuclear power reactors in Sweden have formed a special company, the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co. (SKB), to assist them in executing their responsibilities. Thus, SKB is responsible for all handling, transportation and storage of spent fuel and radioactive waste outside the nuclear power plants. Furthermore, the company is responsible for the planning and construction of all facilities required for the management of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive wastes, and for such research and development work as is necessitated by the provision of such facilities (R&D programmes).<br/>These R&D programmes have to be reported to the Government, or an authority designated by the Government, and reviewed by the authorities every third year. The programme should include a comprehensive description of the measures taken to ensure safe handling and disposal of spent fuel and nuclear waste. SKB is further responsible for co-ordination and investigations regarding the costs associated with nuclear waste and future decommissioning.<br/>Spent nuclear fuel is transported to an interim storage facility (CLAB). Radioactive operational waste from nuclear reactors, medical and research institutions and industrial radioactive waste is disposed of in an underground repository in crystalline bedrock (SFR-1).<br/>Facilities that remain to be realised are an encapsulation plant for spent fuel and repositories for spent fuel, long-lived low and intermediate level waste, and decommissioning waste. SKB’s R&D programmes are focused on these matters.<br/>Furthermore the producer of non-nuclear radioactive waste (sealed sources etc) is responsible for ensuring that the radioactive waste is handled or placed in a final storage in a manner that is satisfactory from the viewpoint of radiation protection. However, the waste management system for waste generated outside the nuclear fuel cycle is not complete. Therefore a Governmental committee was appointed in 2002 to consider and propose a national system for the handling and disposal of the radioactive waste generated outside the nuclear fuel cycle. The committee is to submit its final report to the Government in December 2003.