Project 067: Strengthening CBRN waste management capabilities in South-East and Eastern European countries

Context

All beneficiary countries are concerned to different extents by safety, security and environmentally sound handling and disposal of hazardous CBRN waste materials and remediation of contaminated locations.

The partner countries in the SEEE region are very much aware of the problem with chemical, biological and radioactive/nuclear waste management and practical measures with CBRN waste disposal. A number of CoE partner countries have developed activities addressing this concern at national level or with collaboration with international organisations.

The improvement is expected in CBRN Waste Management (WM) with support of EU legislation, regulations, good practices and technologies. Also, horizontal cooperation among services at national as well as international levels CBRN WM can be improved.

Overall objective

To strengthen and harmonize regulatory framework of CBRN Waste Management capabilities in the SEEE region.

Specific objectives

1. Improve legal framework, regulations and good practices for CBRN WM;
2. Establish sustainable national training program for competencies on CBRN WM;
3. Enhance technical capabilities of CBRN WM effectiveness.

Activities

1. Create an inventory of existing regulations, practices and capabilities as well as of the assessment of operational infrastructure and training needs;
2. Trainings in CBRN WM;
3. Provision of technical support.

Achievements

• Accession of 9 Partner Countries to the IAEA Joint Convention significantly facilitated the process of assessment of current status of radioactive waste management in Partner Countries;
• 3 study visits were conducted: two in Slovakia (on decommissioning, storage and disposal of RAW, monitoring and on RAW characterisation and predisposal management) and one in Serbia (on management of DSRS and orphan sources and related legislation, and on remediation, waste retrieval and management of specific waste streams);
• Legislative recommendations were made to each of the 10 partner countries;
• 8 specialists from 6 countries completed the CHEM WM Train-the-Trainer;
• 3 online workshops on exchange of best practices in the EU and SEEE countries were conducted on:
  • Radioactive WM, with 21 experts from 9 partner countries;
  • Biological WM, with 25 experts from 9 partner countries;
  • Chemical WM, with 16 experts from 8 partner countries.
• 5 analytical reports on EU and SEEE best practices on CHEM, BIO, AND RAD WM management were developed.