The Working Party on Decommissioning and Dismantling (WPDD) of the RWMC provided a focus for the analysis of decommissioning policy, strategy and regulation, including the related issues of management of materials, release of buildings and sites from regulatory control and associated cost estimation and funding. Beyond policy and strategy considerations, the WPDD also reviewed practical considerations for implementation such as techniques for characterisation of materials, for decontamination and for dismantling.
The WPDD brought together senior experts in decommissioning from 21 OECD and observer countries with involvement also from other international organisations such as the European Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Its membership included policy specialists, regulators, implementers, researchers and waste management experts. It had a specialist sub-group devoted to the exchange of information and experience on costing issues, the Decommissioning Cost Estimation Group (DCEG). WPDD tracked decommissioning developments worldwide and developed reports and position papers on emerging issues.
The WPDD met once a year, at a host location that rotated among the member countries. In meetings, workshops and joint projects, the WPDD collaborated with other groups working in the field of decommissioning. These included the NEA's programme for the exchange of scientific and technical information on the decommissioning of nuclear installations (CPD), as well as the NEA Forum on Stakeholder Confidence (FSC), to help reflect on the links between decommissioning, decision-making and public confidence, and with the RWMC Regulators' Forum on regulatory issues. Some of the workshops and meeting were as follows:-
