818307 Radioactive waste management – its perception and acceptance II

Type
Lecture
Semester hours
1
Lecturer (assistant)
Hossain, Shaheed
Organisation
Offered in
Sommersemester 2025
Languages of instruction
Englisch
Content

This series of lectures will highlight the main issues of concern related to radioactive waste management and put them into perspective. It will provide an overview of radioactive waste management covering technological, safety, and security aspects as well as policies, strategies, implementation and public communication.

In the background of current fossil fuel crisis and climate change issues, nuclear utilities are anticipating a new “renaissance” of nuclear power. Even if nuclear power does not further develop around the world, particularly in the aftermath of Fukushima, the necessity for dealing with nuclear waste from past usages, from uranium mining and milling, decommissioning of existing nuclear facilities, from environmental restoration of contaminated sites and from the usage of radioactive materials in medicine, industry and research would still exist.

Due to modular nature of the lectures the courses can be started at any semester, however WiSe is more preferable to start with. Depending on current events, one or two lectures will be modified as necessary.

These lectures will be suitably complemented by related technical excursions within Austria and its neighbouring countries.

WS Modules: • Overview I • Introduction I • Principles of radioactive waste management • Types and properties of radioactive wastes • Radiation protection principles and goals • Institutional aspects • Radioactive waste management prior to disposal

SS Modules: • Overview II • Introduction II • Disposal • Socio-political and ethical concern •Radioactive waste management policies and strategies • Public understanding and acceptance • Long term safety assessment • International cooperation and conventions • International Convention on the safety of spent nuclear fuel and safety of radioactive waste management (Joint Convention)
Objective (expected results of study and acquired competences)

It will assist in increasing the understanding of radioactive waste management issues, from its generation through its endpoint, by all relevant stakeholders (e.g. public and interest groups, national authorities, organizations involved in radioactive waste management and the nuclear industry) leading to possible acceptance of common solutions.
You can find more details like the schedule or information about exams on the course-page in BOKUonline.