Previous study on decommissioning of the Fessenheim Nuclear Power Plant has revealed unknown, yet potentially important environmental impacts of Very Low-Level Radioactive Waste (VLLW). In consequence, the human-environment observatory (OHM) of Fessenheim supports the ACYVI-TREFA project, which aims to characterize and evaluate the environmental impacts of the VLLW treatment and its conceivable alternatives.

As the previous study suggested, a large part of the environmental impacts are potentially due to the VLLW. Even if it only represents 3% of the waste from the Fessenheim power plant decommissioning, it could be responsible for almost half of the whole waste treatment’s environmental impacts.

Moreover, evolution of French laws concerning valorization of the VLLW is being currently discussed. Therefore, the second objective of this study is to provide knowledge on the environmental impacts of the VLLW treatment and eventual possibilities of their recycling.

We use the Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) method to characterize and evaluate the VLLW’s environmental impacts. The study is organized into two main scenarios: The first one involves the current method of treatment of the VLLW. (Landfill in the CIRES site of ANDRA) The second scenario represents hypothetical recycling and decontamination of VLLW in a local techno-center.

The poster will provide the characterization, first quantitative results and interpretation of the eventual recycling of the VLLW.