Energy Indicators for Sustainable Development: Guidelines and Methodologies International Atomic Energy Agency United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs International Energy Agency Eurostat European Environment Agency

Alternative Definitions 
Generation of radioactive waste 
Agenda 21 
Chapter 22: Safe and environmentally sound 
management of radioactive wastes 
POLICY RELEVANCE 
(a) Purpose: The purpose of this indicator is to account for the amounts of various 
radioactive waste streams that arise from the nuclear fuel cycle in particular and from 
other fuel cycles per unit of energy produced. 
(b) Relevance to Sustainable Development: Energy is a key to sustainable 
development, and the generation of all types of solid waste, and in particular solid 
radioactive waste, should be minimized. In addition, and as described in the chapter 
on radioactive waste (Chapter 22) of Agenda 21, it is important to ensure that 
radioactive wastes are safely managed, transported, stored and disposed of, with a 
view to protecting human health and the environment in the short and long terms. 
Radioactive waste is an environmental concern associated with different energy 
generation systems and in particular with nuclear power. To protect human health and 
the environment, waste management strategies and technologies exist and are being 
employed, especially by the nuclear industry. Fundamental principles of radioactive 
waste management involve minimization of waste arisings and systematic 
management of the treatment, conditioning, storage and disposal of such waste. Other 
fuel chains besides nuclear produce radioactive waste; thus, this indicator should also 
be applied to those fuel chains. 
(c) International Conventions and Agreements: International standards and criteria 
exist for the nuclear energy industry in the form of recommendations by the 
International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and also in the 
Requirements and Guides of the Safety Standards of the International Atomic Energy 

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Agency (IAEA). In 1995, the IAEA published The Principles of Radioactive Waste 
Management (Safety Series No. 111-F). One of the nine principles specified in this 
report states that ‘Radioactive waste shall be managed in such a way that will not 
impose undue burdens on future generations’. The principles set forth in this 
publication provided the technical basis for the Joint Convention on the Safety of 
Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management. This 
convention, which entered into force in June 2001, requires Contracting Parties to 
account for spent fuel and radioactive waste inventories. This convention binds