Waste management aspects of the DTE1 and RTE campaigns

The waste management activities at JET include not only the collection, processing and dispatch of radioactive and beryllium contaminated waste, but also for the operation of several supporting facilities (the beryllium-controlled areas); the provision of respiratory protection; (including pressurised suit operations) and the procedural support for maintenance of active handling operations. The consequences of carrying out the Deuterium-Tritium experiment (DTE1) were reviewed throughout 1996 and 1997 in order that appropriate preparations could be implemented. Several procedural, regulatory, technical, and managerial functions were identified for modification and the planning and subsequent execution of these functions is described here. In general the regulatory and procedural aspects were accurately anticipated, e.g. radioactive waste authorisations, the operation of the radioactive drainage system and improvements in managerial control were successfully implemented. However, in the case of materials storage the increased tritium off-gassing rates were higher than expected. This required the engineering controls and storage facilities to be enhanced before the DTE1 tile modules could be transferred from the Torus Hall. The predicted consequences of DTE1 and the preparations made are detailed here with discussion of further actions which proved necessary in practice.