Orano - Annual Activity Report 2025 188 4 SUSTAINABILITY STATEMENT Environmental information 4.2.5.2 Optimizing radioactive waste management Orano produces radioactive waste generated by its nuclear operations. The group’s actions in this area consist in avoiding waste production as much as possible, developing recovery channels and responsibly managing final waste. The principles of action in this area are based on: ● good traceability of the waste produced and treatment channels; ● transparency in terms of waste communication, particularly in the context of the French national radioactive waste and materials management plan (PNGMDR); and ● the development of radioactive substance recovery projects. They are defined and led by the Director of the Decommissioning and Waste Strategic Planning Division (DPS2D), who reports to the Chief Executive Officer. Waste management policy and actions DEFINITIONS Radioactive waste is defined as “radioactive substances for which no use is planned or contemplated, or which have been reclassified as such by the administrative authority” (Article L. 542-1-1 of the French Environmental Code). It is managed according to two parameters, its activity, and its life. Waste is then divided into the following categories: ● VLLW (very low-level waste); ● LMLW-SL (low and medium level short-lived waste); ● LLW-LL (low-level long-lived waste); ● MLW-LL (medium level long-lived waste); ● HLW (high-level waste). Radioactive waste is stored by the National agency for radioactive waste management (Andra). The storage type associated with each waste category is represented in the following table: RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND STORAGE Very short-lived waste (<100 days) Short-lived waste (≤31 years) Long-lived waste (>31 years) Very low-level waste (VLLW) Management through radioactive decay at the production site Near-surface storage facility for VLLW (Andra – CIRES) Low-level waste (LLW) Near-surface storage facility for LMLW (Andra – Aube and Manche) Research carried out under the French law of June 28, 2006 (near-surface storage under study at 15 to 200 m) Medium-level waste (MLW) Research carried out under the French law of June 28, 2006 (deep storage, 500 m) High-level waste (HLW) Not applicable Research carried out under the French law of June 28, 2006 (deep geological repository, 500 m) French regulations provide for the principle of prevention based on the reduction of waste at source (the best waste is the waste that is not produced) and management methods to be favored, starting with: ● material recovery, which includes preparation for reuse, recycling, and backfilling; ● energy recovery (for example, methanization and energy recovery); and ● disposal (by landfill or incineration without energy recovery). Depending on the category of waste and the treatment facility (outlet) planned for post-evacuation management, different recovery and disposal processes are implemented. Conventional waste treatment facilities must comply with the more or less strict requirements pursuant to their prefectural decree depending on the type of waste treated (non-hazardous, inert or non-inert, or hazardous). Thus, waste must be directed to specific and compatible channels. The hierarchy of management methods provided for conventional waste also applies to radioactive waste, with some limitations: ● reuse is the preferred management method before the substance becomes waste. In the case of radioactive substances, reuse can only be done in the nuclear field (between Orano nuclear sites or with other nuclear sites outside Orano); ● recovery is a management method that has recently been regulated by introducing a principle of exemption for certain substances. To date, its application is limited to metallic radioactive substances as long as they are recovered in an authorized facility before they are placed on the market. Orano is currently working on several projects for the recovery of metals and the recovery of radioactive liquids (for which the regulatory framework must be adapted);
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