| Chair(s): |
Lucy BAILEY, United Kingdom |
Secretaries: |
Massimo CIAMBRELLA (massimo.ciambrella@oecd-nea.org) Ichiro OTSUKA (ichiro.otsuka@oecd-nea.org) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vice-Chair(s): |
Manuel CAPOUET, Belgium Neale HUNT, Canada Ulrich NOSECK, Germany Hitoshi MAKINO, Japan Ann-Kathrin LEUZ, Switzerland Tom PEAKE, United States | ||
| Member(s): | All NEA member countries | ||
| 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 2000 | ||
| End of mandate: | 31 December 2019 |
Mandate (Document reference):
Mandate (Document extract):
Extract from document NEA/RWM(2016)4/FINAL
Mission and objectives
The IGSC provides advice to the RWMC on major and emerging issues to facilitate the development of waste management strategies at national and international levels and to enable the management of radioactive waste and materials to benefit from progress of scientific and technical knowledge. In particular, the IGSC:
advises the RWMC on major and emerging issues in the strategic areas of the process of repository development, related system analyses and technological advances;
promotes the exchange of information on repository development issues;
strives to achieve shared approaches and tools, where appropriate.
The activities and priorities of the IGSC fall into the following main themes regarding safety cases:
What do we know? (the scientific basis for engineering design, process understanding and site understanding)
How do we use what we know to demonstrate safety? (assessment strategy and tools)
How do we achieve safety in practice? (design, implementation, technology and feasibility)
How do we synthesise information and build confidence in safety? (integration of information into safety cases, organisational issues and management)
Activities of the IGSC have historically focused on long-term safety. However, as some national programmes approach licensing, a higher degree of integration is required, not only for all elements related to long-term safety, but also of engineering and operational considerations. It is therefore recognised that to achieve confidence in (and acceptance of) a repository, it must be shown not only that the system will be safe over the long term, but also that it can be built and operated safely.
In undertaking its mission the IGSC will:
Define, oversee and carry out a work programme of technical activities related to the development, evaluation and communication of safety cases as a basis for confidence and decision-making pertaining to the development of repositories for long-lived radioactive waste. Emphasis is on the identification and resolution of issues; the development of technical tools for which there is international interest; and publication of findings where appropriate.
Facilitate, communication and information exchange between IGSC members to promote frank interchange between peers. In particular, the IGSC provides a neutral forum for discussion with a view to identify emerging issues and trends, review the state of the art and promote further understanding and develop common views, including the development of tools.
Promote the exchange of information and strive for common understanding, shared approaches and methods for the development and documentation of safety cases. Emphasis is on strategic and methodological issues.