488 / 536
Due to the projected saturation of the authorised disposal
capacities by 2025-2030, ASN considers that Andra must
examine the possibility and conditions of increasing
the volume capacity of CIRES without changing its
ground coverage area and, subject to these conditions
being favourable, filing as soon as possible a request
to increase this volume.
ASN considers that a second VLL waste disposal facility
will ultimately be necessary to maintain the availability
of disposal capacities for this waste. ASN also considers
that the VLL waste producers must engage themselves
in an approach that allows an in-depth examination of
the feasibility of creating disposal facilities appropriate
for certain types of VLL waste on their sites.
1.3.2 Disposal of Low and Intermediate-Level,
Short-Lived waste (LL/IL-SL)
The majority of Low and Intermediate-Level Short-
Lived (LL/IL-SL) waste is disposed of in surface disposal
facilities operated by Andra. Once these facilities are
closed, they are subject to surveillance during an
“oversight phase” set by convention at 300 years. The
facility safety case – which is updated periodically,
including during the oversight phase – must show that
at the end of this phase the residual activity contained
in the waste is such that human and environmental
exposure levels are acceptable, even in the event of
a significant loss of the containment properties of
the facility.
There are two such repositories in France.
The Manche repository (BNI 66)
The Manche waste Disposal Facility (CSM), which was
commissioned in 1969, was the first radioactive waste
repository operated in France. 527,225 m
3
of waste
packages are emplaced in it. Disposal of waste in the
CSM repository stopped in July 1994 and it entered
the oversight phase in January 2003.
ASN considers that the state and the operation of the
facilities are satisfactory. Andra must continue its efforts
to reinforce the stability of the cover and to eliminate the
residual infiltrations of water into the repository at the
edge of the membrane. An interim review of the work
on the repository cover was presented in 2015 and is
currently being examined by ASN.
The Aube repository (BNI 149)
Authorised by theDecree of 4th September 1989, the Aube
repository (CSA) took over from theManche repository
(CMS), benefiting from the experience gained with it.
This facility, situated in Soulaines-Dhuys, has a disposal
capacity of one million cubic metres of LL/IL-SL waste.
The operations authorised on the facility include waste
packaging by injection of mortar intometal crates of 5 m
3
or 10 m
3
volume, or by compacting 200-litre drums.
At the end of 2015, the volume of waste in the repository
was about 305,000 m
3
, or 30%of the authorised capacity.
In the context of the 2013-2015 PNGMDR, Andra had
been asked to produce for mid-2015 a forward-looking
filling schedule for the CSA, presenting in particular
the anticipated development of the occupation of the
repository’s radiological capacity.
The Aube repository.
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CHAPTER 16:
RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND CONTAMINATED SITES AND SOILS
ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2015