When waste becomes a resource : applying a circular economy framework to nuclear power decommissioning

Perko, Tanja (author), Geysmans, Robbe (author), Turcanu, Catrinel (author), Román-Ross, Gabriela (author), Vercelli, Maia (author)

The term “circular economy” (CE) has been used inconsistently in nuclear decommissioning, leading to potential misinterpretations and mismatches between CE definitions and practices. With numerous nuclear installations worldwide requiring decommissioning, a clear and consolidated definition of CE, along with relevant dimensions and indicators, is needed to enable transition from the prevailing linear approach to a more sustainable and circular one. This study addresses two key questions: How can CE be defined in the context of nuclear decommissioning to ensure clarity and consistency? What key indicators can assess the practical implementation of CE in decommissioning? A two-round Delphi study was conducted in 2024 with nine experts to address these questions. The findings were validated through a facilitated Group discussion with 19 stakeholders, including industry professionals, operators, authorities, and researchers. The results provide a unified definition of CE in nuclear decommissioning and measurable indicators covering societal, environmental, health and safety, techno-economic, and legal dimensions. This study offers actionable insights for regulators, practitioners and policymakers, facilitating the integration CE principles and the comprehensive evaluation of circularity in nuclear decommissioning processes.

• Language: English
• Keywords: circular economy, nuclear decommissioning, sustainability indicators, Delphi study, stakeholder engagement, policy requirements
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 1-10
• Numbering: Art. no. ǂ104320, Vol. 127
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-177535
• UDC: 316.334
• ISSN on article: 2214-6326
• DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104320
• COBISS.SI-ID: 247655683
• Publication date in RUL: 23.12.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Energy research & social science
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 2214-6326
• COBISS.SI-ID: 527289881

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: krožno gospodarstvo, razgradnja jedrskih elektrarn, kazalniki trajnosti, študija Delphi, odelovanje deležnikov, sodelovanje deležnikov

Projects

• Funder: EC - European Commission
• Project number: 101060028
• Name: HARmonised PracticEs, Regulations and Standards in waste management and decommissioning
• Acronym: HARPERS