The non-profit organisation, Waste Management Symposia, dedicated to education and information sharing on global radioactive waste management, has honoured the paper "Key Benefits of GeoMelt® Treatment/Conditioning Regarding the Safety Case for Near Surface Disposal of TENORM" with the "Superior" paper award. The paper written by Waste2Glass, a joint-venture of Veolia and EDF, was presented at the Waste Management Symposium in Phoenix, USA in March 2024. The paper was among the top 91 of more than 530 papers submitted, noted for its substantial contribution to radioactive waste and materials management.
The presentation was featured in the session "Modelling Experiences for LLW/ILW Disposal Facilities Worldwide" at WM2024. It encompasses the technical findings of Rad2Glass, a project funded by the French Investment Bank with the technical support of ANDRA (French agency for active waste repositories), promoted by Nuclear Valley (the French Nuclear Professional Association), and successfully executed with significant contributions from EDF and Veolia.
Central to Rad2Glass - GeoMelt® technology has established its effectiveness in removing chemical salts from waste materials and reducing the empty space within containers. It evenly disperses radioactive materials and confines radioactivity effectively, particularly radon gas, for long durations. Also, GeoMelt® has demonstrated its versatility in handling various waste materials, hence enabling less active TENORM to be relocated to approved hazardous waste landfills.
We extend our congratulations to the team of authors: François Dumortier and Xavier Arnold from Waste2Glass, Florent Tocino and Théo Montaigne from EDF, Julien Robert from Veolia Nuclear Solutions Europe, and Pascal Sommaire from Veolia Research and Innovation.
The complete list of Superior Papers can be viewed on the WM2024 website. https://www.wmsym.org/awards/past-award-winners/