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Safety of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle (1981)

Author	NEA
Date	May 1981
Classification	6.01.3.00/45 (NUCLEAR SAFETY - GENERAL)
Front

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND

1. The manufacture of fuel for nuclear power stations and its processing and
management subsequent to reactor discharge are sometime referred to as the 
"front" and "back-end" of the nuclear fuel cycle respectively. The safe conduct 
of these activities is the subject of this report.

2. Nuclear fuel cycle activities are characterised by a variety of physical and
chemical treatments applied to a wide range of radioactive materials in the form of 
powders, liquids or gases. Accordingly it is necessary to provide a correspondingly 
wide range of specific safety measures as inherent parts of these activities. 
Radiation protection of the workers is especially significant in view of the 
many human interventions required for the operation and maintenance of fuel 
cycle facilities.

3. The analysis of the safety of fuel cycle activities is complicated by the fact
thatsome of the technologies at the "back-end", especially those dealing with oxide 
fuels discharged currently from modern reactors, will be implemented only 
progressively on a large industrial scale. Nevertheless, reviews of the safety 
of fuel cycle facilities have already been made on a series of topics such as:

- radiation protection of workers and the general public;
- radioactive waste management and disposal.

A number of these reviews have been prepared at international level, 
usually concentrating on normal plant operating conditions, for example:

- the International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Evaluation (INFCE) published by
the IAEA in 1980;
- the Report on Objectives, Concepts and Strategies for the Management of
Radioactive Wastes Arising from Nuclear Power Programmes, published by 
OECD-NEA in 1971; and
- the Report on the Radiological Significance and Management of Tritium,
Carbon-14, Krypton-85 and Iodine-129 arising from the Nuclear Fuel Cycle, 
published by the OECD-NEA in 1980.

However there is comparatively only limited literature available on potential 
accidents in the operation of nuclear fuel cycle facilities and on the relevant 
safety measures adopted. The NEA Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations 
therefore considered it desirable to make a review of the situation in this field 
and sponsored the present state-of-the-art report.

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