Summary: Panel Discussion on the Role of Performance Assessment for Radioactive Waste Management

The role of performance assessment was discussed by a group of panelists and the participants of the 20th MRS symposium on the Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management. Panel members were Professor Thomas Pigford, Dr. Alan Cooper, and Dr. Patrik Sellin; Dr. Michael J. Apted served as moderator. For discussion purposes, performance assessment (PA) was defined as the analysis of the release of radionuclides from a repository system of barriers to the accessible environment. As stated by some of the panelists, performance assessment: provides the major tool for the dialog between the implementor and the regulator; assesses the degree of safety of a repository with respect to national and international safety criteria; identifies the components and processes of the system that are responsible for safety; identifies the key uncertainties; and serves as a tool for scientific management that can be used to make decisions regarding design and research priorities. The concerns and their proposed solutions are discussed.