ICARUS: development, optimization, and harmonization of innovative characterization techniques for large volumes of radioactive waste

In the framework of the EURAD-2 partnership, the ICARUS (Innovative ChARacterization techniques for large volUmeS) work package aims at further developing, optimizing and harmonizing innovative techniques for the radiological, physical and chemical characterization of large volume of low/intermediate-level mixed waste, as it could be critical for the safe implementation of radioactive waste management programmes of the member states. Destructive Techniques (DT), Non-Destructive Techniques (NDT), and Scaling Factors (SF) will be investigated. Four use cases will be considered according to the end users’ needs: (i) enabling fast and sufficiently accurate characterization of gamma activity distribution by NDT in complex large packages, including mixed wastes as heterogeneous legacy waste; (ii) improving and simplifying NDT for determining physico-chemical properties; (iii) improving sensitivity, accuracy, and uncertainty and replacing the expensive and time-consuming radiochemical analysis of long-lived Difficult To Measure (DTM) radionuclides by DT; (iv) improving accuracy, uncertainty, and reliability of the SF approach to estimate DTM radionuclides in raw mixed waste. Specific education and training materials and opportunities will be provided to foster career advancement of young professionals and researchers. The research activities will be carried out by 29 organizations from 17 countries.