Established in 1975, the NEA Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC) is an international body comprising senior representatives from regulatory authorities, radioactive waste management and decommissioning organisations, policymaking bodies and research and development institutions across NEA countries.
The RWMC supports its members in the development of safe, economically efficient and scientifically informed approaches to managing all types of radioactive waste, including spent fuel classified as such. It serves as a neutral forum where policymakers, regulators and implementers collaborate to address shared challenges, exchange good practices and develop feasible solutions adapted to diverse national contexts.
RWMC membership includes representatives from NEA member countries and the European Commission (EC). The committee also collaborates closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which participates as an observer.
The RWMC applies a holistic and sustainable approach to radioactive waste management, considering three key dimensions:
These aspects are assessed within three overarching frameworks: legislative, organisational and regulatory. By integrating these perspectives, the RWMC systematically identifies priorities and develops strategies for effective waste management at all stages.
The NEA Division of Radioactive Waste Management and Decommissioning (RWMD) supports the Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC) in conducting international peer reviews and providing expert feedback to ensure the adoption of good practices in regulatory and technical methodologies.
For more details, see radioactive waste management and decommissioning programmes in NEA member countries.
To achieve its objectives, the RWMC is supported by its working parties and sub-groups, and other expert groups as outlined in the diagram above.
The regulator members of the RWMC also participate in the Regulators’ Forum (RF), which provides a dedicated platform for discussing regulatory challenges in radioactive waste management. Since 2019, the RF has supported both the RWMC and the Committee on Decommissioning of Nuclear Installations and Legacy Management (CDLM) in addressing regulatory issues related to radioactive waste management and nuclear decommissioning and legacy management.
The Forum on Stakeholder Confidence (FSC) has also supported both the RWMC and the CDLM since 2019. The FSC assists these committees in navigating societal considerations, fostering dialogue and engagement related to radioactive waste management, decommissioning and legacy management.
The RWMC area is hosted on MyNEA SharePoint
The materials related to the Joint Sessions are available on Joint SharePoint Area
Please follow these steps to connect to SharePoint:
The MyNEA End User Guide is available online here: User's guide: myNEA
Horonobe International Project (HIP)
