Various types of storage facilities are already in operation for decades, all being operational phase only, during which the deposits staff comes into direct contact with radioactive waste, in order to ensure storage of waste in such a way to isolate them from humanity and the environment.

Environment and human health protection is a key issue that should be monitored throughout the life of the deposit. Backfill is used to fill gaps in warehouse storage areas with appropriate materials: plaster, but often with soil, sand, bentonite, magnesium oxide, ballast or a combination thereof. Closing a storage facility can take several years and will be made according to a closure plan, which includes an updated safety assessment and a description of institutional controls intended to perform in post-closure phase.

Completion of the containment system is a key point to the shutdown process. In the case of a storage facility close to the surface, it is necessary to backfill storage units and complementary systems or barriers, deemed necessary, based on the experience during the repository operating or approval period. For a repository placed in rock cavities or in bore holes, the closing process shall include, in addition to backfilling and sealing of engineering access ways, such as shafts, galleries or other penetraions of the storage units.

This project has as its objective a judicious assessment of the storage system of the National Repository for Radioactive Waste, Băiţa-Bihor, for institutional low and medium active waste, taking into account the proposed applicable technologies on improved filling methodology and closing strategy, as well as conducting a comprehensive analysis of the long-term behaviour and environmental impact, from the point of view of radiation safety.

The project of national importance has the following general objectives contained in the early stages of the project:

·         Assessing the technology for filling the gaps between packages, in final repositories for low and medium active waste, applied in similar facilities, and selecting an appropriate filling technology, to implement at the Băiţa, Bihor storage facility;

• Development of the closure plan at NRRW Băiţa, Bihor, in terms of nuclear safety;
• Finishing of the closure plan at NRRW Băiţa, Bihor, in terms of nuclear safety;
• Proposal of a closure system at NRRW Băiţa, Bihor;
• System performance assessment, proposed at NRRW Băiţa, Bihor.