Radioactive waste in Greece originates from medicine, research and industry (including industries generating waste with NORM). Only low level and intermediate level waste derives from those sources. For this, the national policy for the waste produced is the decay storage and discharge. The management of radioactive waste is carried out on the site of origin.

Regarding nuclear medicine and research laboratories, according to the provisions of the Radiation Protection Regulations, and since the waste concerned is of short half-lives, it is preferable to be stored by the producers/users until it has decayed and can be released to the environment according to clearance level requirements. Special decay tanks can be required in nuclear medicine laboratories using I-131 for thyroid therapy.

For the waste produced in NCSR “Demokritos” laboratories, the on-site waste treatment might additionally include a range of operations such as waste segregation, characterization, conditioning and storage, and discharge.

Greece has implemented the European Council Directive 2003/122 on the control of the high activity sealed radioactive sources and orphan sources (HASS). In the case that the source user bankrupts, the government will cover the additional funds for the management of the source(s).

Any producers of radioactive waste are required to bear the full costs of treatment, interim storage, and final disposal.

The Greek Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) is the National competent authority for radiation protection. It was first established in 1958 as the authority responsible for planning, application and supervision of radiation protection measures, and as the competent authority for nuclear energy & technology and radiation protection. At least once every two years, GAEC perform announced and unannounced inspections at all facilities utilizing radiation sources in Greece.

NRCPS (National Research Centre for Physical Sciences) has been operating a 5MW open-pool, light water moderated and cooled research reactor since 1961.

NRCPS operates an interim storage facility for DSRS (disued sealed radioactive sources) and some other liquid waste (from NRCPS labs) of very low radioactivity. Because only DSRS are stored/managed, there is no radioactive waste inventory data available to report.

(Note: for DSRS data, see the relevant Waste Profile Report under the REPORTS tab.)