NDA techniques for characterization of waste packages in France

Current Andra regulations specify homogeneity requirements, immobilization thresholds, and maximum permissible activities for waste acceptance criteria. As the current average alpha activity for all waste packages on a disposal site must be < 0.37 MGq/kg (10[sup -2]Ci/t), characterization and control assays performed for the waste producer, the disposal site manager, or the safety authorities require alpha emitter contents measurement systems with a sensitivity higher then 0.37 MBq/kg. This allows optimizing site management by segregating radioactive wastes between near-surface and deep-under-ground disposal. This paper describes several techniques and approaches for characterizing and assaying radioactive wastes.