Participants visited Hungary's Bataapati National Radioactive Waste Repository to see how characterization and waste package documentation support acceptance for disposal. (Photo: PURAM)
Countries need reliable data about radioactive waste to decide how to treat, store and dispose of it safely. To help them strengthen their ability to collect, analyse and use this information, the IAEA brought together 74 specialists from 42 countries to share their experience in measurement techniques, laboratory analysis and waste management planning.
The Technical Meeting on Advanced Techniques for Radioactive Waste Characterization held with the support of the IAEA technical cooperation programme, took place in Szeged, Hungary, from 5 to 9 October 2026. Hosted by ELI ERIC/ELI-ALPS and ISOTOPTECH Zrt., it also marked the fifteenth anniversary of the IAEA's International Network of Laboratories for Nuclear Waste Characterization (LABONET).
To characterize radioactive waste, specialists examine what it contains, how radioactive it is and its physical properties. This information helps countries choose suitable methods to treat and prepare the waste for storage or disposal, plan facilities and ensure it meets safety requirements. Getting reliable information can be particularly challenging for older waste with incomplete records or waste in which radioactivity is unevenly distributed.
Opening the meeting, Andrea Beatrix Kadar, President of the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority, highlighted the importance of reliable characterization in waste management. She also pointed to the particular challenges posed by legacy and decommissioning waste and the need for regulation to keep pace with scientific and technological developments.
Using Waste Information to Plan Ahead
During the meeting, participants highlighted the importance of collecting information about radioactive waste early, while records and knowledge of the processes that generated it are still available. They shared examples of how this can improve later decisions, including experience from Ukraine's Rivne Nuclear Power Plant, where separating waste according to its material characteristics can support characterization and treatment.
Presentations from Canada and Brazil addressed digital records and inventory development, while Lithuania shared experience in characterizing historical waste retrieved from the Maisiagala storage facility. These examples highlighted the importance of maintaining traceable records and updating inventories as new information becomes available.
Discussions also addressed radionuclides (radioactive forms of chemical elements) that are difficult to measure directly. One approach uses scaling factors: known relationships between radionuclides that allow measurements of one to help estimate the activity of another. Participants also examined the importance of representative data, understanding uncertainty and reviewing these relationships when waste characteristics or operating conditions change.
Improving Confidence in Measurements
Advanced measurement techniques can help specialists locate radioactivity inside waste packages and identify where further investigation is needed. The meeting covered gamma measurements, imaging, three-dimensional mapping and systems for measuring radioactive material in waste drums. Laboratory methods were also in focus, including techniques using X-rays to identify chemical elements and crystalline materials in waste.
"Reliable characterization depends on more than the performance of an instrument. It requires representative sampling, validated methods and a clear understanding of what the results mean for waste management," said Leonardus van Velzen, Chairman of LABONET. "By sharing practical experience and comparing approaches, laboratories can strengthen confidence in their results and help waste management organizations make informed decisions."
Participants also discussed how laboratories report results close to waste classification or acceptance limits, to help waste management organizations understand and use the information appropriately.
Connecting Research with Practical Needs
A technical tour at ELI-ALPS introduced participants to advanced laser-based research and its potential contribution to radioactive waste characterization.
Discussions explored how imaging and materials research could help investigate internal structures, porosity and defects in waste forms, and improve understanding of the materials used to condition waste. These exchanges identified opportunities for further cooperation, with practical applications requiring clearly defined waste management needs and validation under representative conditions.
A technical visit to Hungary's Bátaapáti National Radioactive Waste Repository gave participants an opportunity to see how the techniques and approaches are applied in practice. The visit highlighted how accurate measurements, reliable records and information about the properties of radioactive waste help determine whether waste packages meet the requirements for safe disposal.
The meeting also acknowledged ISOTOPTECH's contribution to developing expertise in Member States. Through IAEA technical cooperation projects, the organization has hosted training courses and scientific visits and provided expert input to missions and workshops around the world.
A technical visit to the Bataapati National Radioactive Waste Repository connected the week's discussions with the practical requirements of a disposal facility. The visit illustrated how characterization supports decisions on whether waste packages are suitable for disposal.
Building on Fifteen Years of LABONET
LABONET provides a platform for laboratories, researchers, waste generators and waste management organizations to exchange knowledge and practical experience. "Over the past fifteen years, LABONET has connected specialists facing similar challenges and helped them learn from one another's experience," said Felicia Dragolici, an IAEA Radioactive Waste Management Specialist and Scientific Secretary of LABONET. "Our focus is on helping countries develop characterization capabilities suited to their needs, so that the information they collect supports practical decisions on waste treatment, conditioning, storage and disposal."
Priorities discussed included practical training, comparisons of measurement results between laboratories, and exchanges on difficult-to-measure radionuclides. Such activities can help organizations establishing their first characterization capabilities learn from experienced laboratories.
Continued cooperation through LABONET will support more reliable inventories and the development of management approaches suited to national circumstances.
The IAEA will host the International Conference on Advancement in Radioactive Waste Management from 11 to 15 October 2027 at its headquarters in Vienna, Austria. The conference will provide an opportunity to share advances in radioactive waste characterization and explore how innovative technologies and practical experience can support integrated, cost-effective and sustainable waste management, from characterization and processing through to storage and disposal.
