**Summary:**
The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) manages nuclear waste generated at nuclear power stations according to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Safety Council (BSC) guidelines, ensuring practices are safe for personnel, the public, and the environment. Low and intermediate-level radioactive wastes are treated to reduce volume, immobilized in materials like cement, bitumen, or polymers, and stored in near-surface disposal facilities on-site under continuous monitoring. Treated liquids and gases are diluted and discharged within AERB-stipulated limits, which are also monitored by AERB.
Over the past 10 years, annual waste generation from operating nuclear power stations has been approximately 1.25 lakh cubic meters (low-level) and 130 cubic meters (intermediate-level). High-level waste, generated during spent nuclear fuel (SNF) recycling, is vitrified. The vitrification process yields approximately 0.2 cubic meters of vitrified waste per metric ton of Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) spent nuclear fuel. There have been no reported incidents of radioactivity release from nuclear waste management facilities or accidents at waste management/interim storage facilities.
Radioactive waste is systematically treated, conditioned, and monitored before disposal at designated storage locations. Low half-life solid waste is disposed of in engineered structures within Near Surface Disposal Facilities (NSDF) located at all Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) sites, except Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP), where waste is stored in engineered modules within the facility. These NSDFs are co-located near reactor/nuclear facilities.
Nuclear waste handling, treatment, storage, and disposal adhere to AERB guidelines as per the Atomic Energy Safe Disposal of Radioactive Wastes Rules, 1987, and AERB Safety Code on Management of Radioactive Waste (AERB-SCRW). AERB conducts periodic inspections to verify adherence. Facility management oversees the handling and disposal areas. Environmental Survey Laboratories (ESLs) of BARC conduct environmental monitoring, with results indicating no radioactivity buildup and annual doses below AERB limits.
Stringent regulatory standards and multiple containment barriers, radiation shielding, and leak detection mechanisms are in place. Remote or shielded systems are used for waste handling when necessary, under strict radiological surveillance. The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, provided this information in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
Key Entities Referenced
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board AERB: Regulatory body that sets the limits for discharges and monitors releases from nuclear power stations and enforces safety guidelines for radioactive waste management.
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Safety Council BSC: An organization involved in setting safety guidelines for the management of radioactive waste, specifically in the context of recycling spent nuclear fuel.
Pressurised Heavy Water PHWR: Type of nuclear reactor fuel, the processing of which results in vitrified waste.
Atomic Energy Safe Disposal of Radioactive Wastes Rules, 1987: The rules in accordance with which nuclear waste handling, treatment, storage and disposal are carried out
AERB Safety Code on Management of Radioactive Waste AERBSCRW: Safety guidelines which are stipulated by the AERB in accordance with the Atomic Energy Safe Disposal of Radioactive Wastes Rules, 1987 and adherence to these is verified through periodic inspection conducted by AERB.
Near Surface Disposal Facility: Facility where low half life solid waste from nuclear facilities is disposed of in specially constructed engineered structures within the boundary of the facility.
Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant KKNPP: A nuclear power plant where waste is stored in engineered modules within the facility, instead of Near Surface Disposal of Radioactive Solid Waste at the site.
Dr. Jitendra Singh: Union Minister of State Independent Charge for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space who provided the information in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
Department of Atomic Energy
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: NUCLEAR WASTE
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Posted On: 23 JUL 2025 3:36PM by PIB Delhi
The wastes generated at the nuclear power stations during their operation are of low and intermediate
radioactivity level. These wastes are appropriately treated, concentrated and subjected to volume reduction.
The concentrates are immobilized in inert materials like cement, bitumen, polymers etc. and stored in
specially constructed structures (near surface disposal facilities) located at the site under monitoring. The
treated liquids and gases are diluted and discharged under continuous monitoring, ensuring that the
discharges are well within the stipulated limits set by Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). The
radioactivity level of the stored wastes reduces with time and by the end of the plant life, falls to very low
levels. The releases are also monitored by AERB.
The volume of low and intermediate level wastes generated from the operating nuclear power stations
annually during the last 10 years was about 1.25 lakh cubic meter (m3) and 130 cubic meter (m3)
respectively. The projections of waste generation for future would depend on the actual capacity additions
and technologies adopted.
During the recycling of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) small amount of liquid radioactive wastes are generated
which are classified as low, intermediate and high level as per the safety guidelines of Atomic Energy
Regulatory Board (AERB) and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Safety Council (BSC). Current strategy for
their management involves treatment of intermediate level waste to convert it to low and high-level wastes
followed by immobilization of high level waste to vitrified glass. Total volume of vitrified waste generated
3
by processing one metric ton of Pressurised Heavy Water (PHWR) spent nuclear fuel is around 0.2 m .
There has been no incident of release of radioactivity from Nuclear Waste Management Facilities nor any
incident/accident at the waste management plants/interim storage Facilities during the said period.
Radioactive nuclear waste is systematically treated, conditioned, and monitored prior to its disposal at
designated storage locations. This is a continuous process, and there is no backlog of conditioned waste
awaiting disposal at interim storage facilities.
The low half life solid waste from nuclear facilities is disposed of in specially constructed engineered
structures in the Near Surface Disposal Facility within the boundary of the facility. These disposal facilities
are co-located near reactor/nuclear facilities to avoid transportation of radioactive waste through the public
domain. All the Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) sites have Near Surface Disposal of Radioactive Solid Waste
(NSDF) at the site except Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP), where waste is stored in engineered
modules within the facility.
The nuclear waste handling, treatment, storage and disposal are carried out as per the well laid down
procedures and guidelines stipulated by the AERB in accordance with the Atomic Energy (Safe Disposal of
Radioactive Wastes) Rules, 1987 and the requirements of AERB Safety Code on ‘Management of
Radioactive Waste (AERB/SC/RW)’. The adherence to these is verified through periodic inspection
conducted by AERB. The handling and disposal area is kept under surveillance by the facility management.
The environmental monitoring is carried out by Environmental Survey Laboratories (ESLs) of BARC. The
results do not indicate any buildup of radioactivity in the environment and annual doses are well below
AERB specified limits.
Comprehensive safeguards and well-established procedures are implemented to ensure the safe storage,
handling, and disposal of nuclear waste. Waste management practices are governed by stringent regulatory
standards and are designed to protect operating personnel, the public, and the environment. Radioactive wasteis segregated based on its activity level, treated using appropriate techniques such as chemical
decontamination, absorption, ion exchange/membrane separations and volume reduction, and then
conditioned into stable forms suitable for storage. Engineered storage systems with multiple containment
barriers, radiation shielding, and leak detection mechanisms are employed to prevent any release of
radioactivity. Waste handling operations are conducted using remote or shielded systems, wherever
necessary, and under strict radiological surveillance. Regular monitoring, periodic safety reviews, and
adherence to approved waste disposal protocols ensure continued safety throughout the lifecycle of waste
management.
This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science
and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of
Atomic Energy and Department of Space, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
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NKR/PSM
(Release ID: 2147270)