Recently, the international standard ISO 24390:2023 Methodologies for Radioactivity Characterization of Very Low-Level Waste (VLLW) Generated by Nuclear Facilities, led by CIRP, has been officially released. This standard marks the first published ISO standard formulated by China in the field of radioactive waste management. This release signifies a crucial progress in China's efforts towards international standardization in radioactive waste management.

Very low-level waste accounts for 90% of waste during the decommissioning of nuclear facilities. Effectively characterizing this type of waste is a crucial means for radioactive waste minimization during the operation and decommissioning of nuclear facilities. The standard specifies a rapid method for characterizing very low-level radioactive waste, providing a tool for guiding the global optimization and management of radioactive waste classification. In 2019, the Technical Committee of Nuclear Installations, Processes and Technologies of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO/TC85/SC5) approved the drafting task for this standard. After extensive efforts, the working group ISO/TC85/SC5/WG5 proposed that CIRP take the lead in the development of this standard. Then CIRP formed a specialized working group to discuss the standard’s scope, outline, and core technologies. They extensively gathered opinions from domestic and international experts and successfully obtained formal approval for the project initiation in 2020. Since its inception, the standard has gone through five stages: Working Draft (WD), Working Draft for Subcommittees (WDS), Committee Draft (CD), Draft International Standard (DIS), and Final Draft International Standard (FDIS). The working group has held 17 rounds of discussions and processed more than 300 expert opinions, ultimately achieving unanimous approval from 100% of ISO participating member countries through the voting process.

The successful release of this standard demonstrates CIRP’s capability for developing international standards, effectively enhancing its international influence in the field of radioactive waste management.

Contact: official@cirp.org.cn