Standards Development

Scope

This document specifies the content and structure of specifications for research and test reactors, including sections relevant to radioactive waste management, spent fuel management, and decommissioning considerations for existing and new fission research reactors. It identifies the organizational, technical, and procedural elements that support the pre‑decommissioning preparatory phase and associated operational interfaces.

The scope includes guidance on defining decommissioning tasks, characterizing waste streams, and establishing administrative and operational arrangements that support safe and effective decommissioning. Considerations related to organizational capacity, turnover of research personnel, and the development of safety and safeguards competencies are addressed where relevant.

The document also provides guidance on needs‑based waste management pathways applicable to research reactors located on open or publicly accessible campuses or research centres. Safety and protection considerations addressed in this document include administrative and operational controls, as well as waste management and storage arrangements associated with decommissioning activities in areas with varying levels of access control.

While many waste‑management and decommissioning principles are common across nuclear facilities, this document applies these principles specifically to research and test reactors, reflecting their operational characteristics, scale, and regulatory context.