Jul 07 DD Health Physicist Appointed to UN Review Panel

At next year's review meeting of the UN's Joint Convention, a DD employee will occupy a key position. Health physicist Haraldur Hannesson has been appointed to the panel tasked with evaluating, among other nations, the United States' management of radioactive waste.

EEvery three years, the countries that have acceded to the UN Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, known as the Joint Convention, convene. In connection with the 2015 review meeting, these countries – including Denmark – are required to present their policies, the quantities and types of radioactive waste, and, crucially, their plans for future radioactive waste management.

The numerous member states are organized into groups that pre-read each other's reports, formulate questions, and provide responses to queries from other nations. During the review meeting, these groups convene, and each country undergoes scrutiny, receiving both commendation and constructive criticism. The overarching objective is positive: to ensure that all member states continuously enhance their management of radioactive waste and spent fuel.

For each review meeting, the Joint Convention designates four officers from various countries to scrutinize the submitted information and moderate the question-and-answer sessions. Haraldur Hannesson, a health physicist from Danish Decommissioning, has been appointed Vice Chair of one such panel. His responsibilities will include reviewing Group 1, which consists of nine nations, notably the USA, Poland, and Indonesia. This appointment marks only the second instance of a Dane serving as an officer on a Joint Convention panel.

The designated review officers are responsible for ensuring that the question-and-answer sessions maintain a constructive focus, thereby identifying and clarifying any potential ambiguities within the country reports. Additionally, these four officers verify that each nation's management of radioactive waste and spent fuel complies with the convention. The panel subsequently compiles a country-specific report and a consolidated report for the entire group.

Denmark's, and consequently Danish Decommissioning's, management of radioactive waste will undergo critical review in 2015 by review officers from Finland, China, South Africa, and the USA. In Denmark, Danish Decommissioning is the sole entity engaged in radioactive waste management. We therefore actively participate in international panels and gather knowledge from visits and conferences abroad.