NEA Mandates and Structures

Expert Group on Fuel Recycling and Waste Technology (EGFRW)

Chair(s):	Robin J. TAYLOR, United Kingdom	Secretary:	Shahab DABIRAN-ZOHOORY (shahab.dabiran-zohoory@oecd-nea.org)
Member(s):	All NEA member countries^*
	Russia (Suspended*)
	^*Russian Federation suspended pursuant to a decision of the OECD Council.
Full participant(s):	European Commission Under the NEA Statute
Observer(s)(International Organisation):	International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) By agreement
Date of creation:	01 June 2012
End of mandate:	31 March 2026

Mandate (Document reference):

Summary record of the 23^rd meeting of the Nuclear Science Committee held on 13-15 June 2012 [NEA/SEN/NSC(2012)3/REV1]
Summary record of the 11^th meeting of the Working Party on Scientific Issues of the Fuel Cycle held on 20 February 2013 [NEA/SEN/NSC/WPFC(2013)2/REV1]
Summary record of the 12^th meeting of the Working Party on Scientific Issues of the Fuel Cycle held on 19 February 2014 [NEA/SEN/NSC/WPFC(2014)2/REV1]
Summary record of the 27^th meeting of the Nuclear Science Committee held on 22-24 June 2016 [NEA/SEN/NSC(2016)2]
Summary record of the 15^th meeting of the Working Party on Scientific Issues of the Fuel Cycle held on 8 February 2017 [NEA/SEN/NSC/WPFC(2017)2]
Summary Record of the 17^th meeting of the Working Party on Scientific Issues of the Fuel Cycle held on 6 February 2019 [NEA/SEN/NSC/WPFC(2019)1]
Summary record of the 18^th meeting of the Working Party on Scientific Issues of the Fuel Cycle held on 5-6 October 2020 [NEA/NSC/WPFC/DOC(2020)35]
Mandate of the WPFC Expert Group on Fuel Recycling and Waste Technology (EGFRW) [NEA/SEN/NSC/WPFC(2021)3]
Summary record of the 20th Meeting of the Working Party on Scientific Issues of Advanced Fuel Cycles (WPFC) held on 24-25 May 2022, [NEA/NSC/WPFC/M(2023)1]
Summary record of the 8^th Meeting of the Expert Group on Fuel Recycling and Waste Technology (EGFRW) [NEA/NSC/WPFC/M(2023)11]
Mandate of the WPFC Expert Group on Fuel Recycling and Waste Technology (EGFRW) [NEA/NSC/WPFC(2024)4/FINAL]

Mandate (Document extract):

Extract from document [NEA/NSC/WPFC(2024)4/FINAL]

Background

As a result of the prioritisation effort in 2020, a reform of the Nuclear Science Committee (NSC) activities was performed under the guidance of the NSC Bureau. This has resulted in the change of denomination and scope of the Working Party and the Expert Group to, respectively, the Working Party on Scientific Issues of Advanced Fuel Cycles (WPFC) and the Expert Group on Fuel Recycling and Waste Technology (EGFRW).

Scope

Under the guidance of the NSC and the mandate of the Working Party on Scientific Issues of Advanced Fuel Cycles (WPFC), the Expert Group on Fuel Recycling and Waste Technology (EGFRW) will focus on the separation processes relevant to recycling technologies for used nuclear fuel including reprocessing, waste treatment, recycling and reuse of used fuel components but excluding long-term (dry/wet) used fuel storage technologies.

Objectives

The expert group will perform technical assessments of separation processes in applications related to current and future nuclear fuel cycles and recommend collaborative international efforts to further processes development and deployment.

The EGFRW will provide scientific information to cover technical issues associated with:

Separation technologies, including processing issues for different nuclear fuels and fuel cycles comprising aqueous, pyrochemical and hybrid-combination scenarios.
Assessment of treating and managing residual wastes, emissions and effluents arising from the recycling processes (including reduction of waste from structural materials).
Update information on the developments needed to meet the requirements for implementing long-term sustainable nuclear fuel cycles, including partitioning and transmutation.
Evaluation of (1) advanced head-end requirements for separating used fuel components from new types of reactors, and (2) requirements for quality and forms of separated components that are needed for fabrication of new types of recycle fuels.
Promoting necessary capabilities for separations R&D including facilities, modelling and simulation and skills.

Additionally, the EGFRW will:

Maintain and continue developing the international database of extractants (IDEaL);
Review of wastes arising from recycling processes;
Assess communalities of separation technologies and flowsheets for both aqueous and pyroprocessing proposed internationally and compare roadmaps towards demonstration;
List and compare existing simulation codes capabilities;
Continue benchmark activities with simulation codes for solvent extraction;
Conduct chemistry analysis of Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) fuel cycles, identifying existing data, gaps/needs.

Interactions

The expert group will liaise closely with other NEA expert groups under the guidance of the Nuclear Science Committee (NSC) and the WPFC expert groups, such as the Expert Group on Advanced Fuel Cycle Scenarios (EGAFCS), and the Expert Group on Innovative Fuel Elements (EGIFE) and the Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC) in order to ensure complementary programmes of work, provide advice and support where required and undertake joint work where appropriate.

The expert group will also work in co-operation with the IAEA , the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) and with different European Union (EU) initiatives carried out through the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.

Deliverables

The deliverables of EGFRW are technical reports, proceedings of seminars/ workshops, state-of-the-art reports, and technical or collective opinion papers, databases, and comparison or benchmark studies. This work will be done in task or benchmark groups, whose work will be organised in a project-like manner with outcomes and milestones. The group will also organise specialist meetings and workshops to further its objectives. The detailed list of deliverables will be tracked in the semi-annual NSC progress reports.