Doing its part in the international effort to improve radioactive waste management in the Asia-Pacific region, the Philippines, through the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute – Department of Science and Technology (PNRI-DOST), hosted the annual meeting of the Asian Nuclear Safety Network (ANSN) Radioactive Waste Management Topical Group and the ANSN Regional Workshop on Field Data Acquisition and Data Processing for the Safety Case of Waste Disposal Facilities from November 5 to 7 at the Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria, Quezon City.
The country was designated by the topical group as this year’s host following the successful plenary meeting held in South Korea last November 2013. Representatives from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines participated in the meeting, which was presided by the topical group coordinator, Mr. Shigeyuki Saito of the Japanese Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA). Technical Officer Mr. Kai Moeller of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Department of Nuclear Safety and Security led the conduct of the workshop. Ms. Editha Marcelo of the PNRI Radiation Protection Services Section served as the workshop director.
The meeting discussed the proposed activities for the 2015-2016 cycle, consisting for the most part, of workshops which will highlight the principles of spent fuel and radioactive waste management and the safe development of near surface disposal and repository sites. The regional workshop, on the other hand, focused on developing a safety case for radioactive waste disposal facilities through gathering the necessary information to adequately demonstrate the safety of these facilities.
Founded in 2002, the ANSN serves as a platform for sustainable regional cooperation on nuclear safety in the region by facilitating the exchange of nuclear safety information and practical experience among the countries.
