ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
Latest Magazine Issues
Jun 2025
Jan 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
August 2025
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
July 2025
Latest News
World Bank, IAEA partner to fund nuclear energy
The World Bank and the International Atomic Energy Agency signed an agreement last week to cooperate on the construction and financing of advanced nuclear projects in developing countries, marking the first partnership since the bank ended its ban on funding for nuclear energy projects.
John Kessler (J. Kessler and Associates, LLC)
Proceedings | 16th International High-Level Radioactive Waste Management Conference (IHLRWM 2017) | Charlotte, NC, April 9-13, 2017 | Pages 14-19
Many countries have separate regulations for used nuclear fuel (UNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW) storage, transportation, recycling, and disposal. In general, each regulation sets a maximum annual dose or health risk just for that waste management component (storage, transportation, or disposal). In addition to dose or health risk limits, many of the regulations either specifically require or recommend that the health risk to members of the public be kept As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) using Best Available Technology (BAT). Again, ALARA and BAT requirements are to be applied only to the system that it is subject to the regulation. This paper provides some examples of the impacts of health risk from the entire back end of the fuel cycle from attempts to minimize risk from just one part of the back end of the fuel cycle. With separate regulations that minimize individual dose rates for storage, transportation, and disposal, the overall health risk from the back end of the fuel cycle may not be minimized. This calls into the question whether ALARA and BAT concepts should be part of compliance.