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Definition of terms as used in the present context
 Disposal |
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Emplacement of radioactive waste in a facility designed and licensed for that purpose. |
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| Far-field |
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Part of a repository system chemically and physically not significantly influenced by the radioactive waste and engineered structures of the disposal area, from the near-field to the biosphere. |
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| Geologic disposal |
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Emplacement of radioactive waste at depth in a geologic environment without the intention of retrieval. |
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| High-level radioactive waste |
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Heat-generating radioactive waste with a considerable inventory of radionuclides with geologic decay times. |
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| Host-rock |
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Geologic setting used for a geologic repository. |
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| Implementer |
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Organization or group of organizations responsible for implementing radioactive waste disposal. |
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| Near-field |
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Part of a repository system chemically, physically and mechanically significantly influenced by the radioactive waste disposal, including associated construction and engineering activities. |
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| Partitioning |
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Separation of radionuclides with historic decay-times from those with geologic decay-times. |
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| Performance assessment |
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Assessment of the behavior of a repository with respect to overall performance, with emphasis on the safety relevant features. |
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| Radionuclide |
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Element/isotope spontaneously emitting radiation.
From a regulatory point of view, concerns only elements/isotopes under regulatory control as defined by the national legal framework, i.e. excluding the large amount of radionuclides found in nature unless concentrated by various processes and considered deserving safety regulation. |
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| Radioactive waste |
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Radioactive material for which no further use is foreseen (excluding natural radioactive material in its pristine condition). |
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| Regulator (or regulatory body, or licensing body) |
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Organization or group of organizations responsible for ensuring compliance with safety requirements in radioactive waste disposal. |
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| Repository |
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Facility for emplacement of radioactive waste without the intention of retrieval. |
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| Safety assessment |
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Assessment of the behavior of a repository with respect to safety. |
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| Spent fuel |
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Nuclear fuel after use for its purpose and without significant value for direct further use. Depending on the national policy, may be radioactive waste or an asset through reprocessing. |
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| Reprocessing |
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Separation of compounds in spent fuel into those valuable for production of nuclear fuel and waste compounds. |
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| Transmutation |
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Conversion of radionuclides with geologic decay-times into radionuclides with historic decay-times and non-radioactive isotopes, especially by neutron induced fragmentation of original nuclei. For this purpose reactors are required different from conventional power reactors presently under extended use. |
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