The Radioactive Waste Management Centre (RWMC) was established by Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) on behalf of the Government of Ghana to carry out the safe and secure management of radioactive waste generated in Ghana to protect human and the environment from the hazards associated with ionizing radiation. GAEC with assistance from the United States Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Office of Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) has constructed a Centralized Radioactive Waste Management facility consisting of both storage and processing units to strengthen effective management of radioactive wastes in Ghana. The Centre operates the only radioactive waste storage facility in Ghana and the radioactive waste management practice entails safe storage pending the development of a suitable disposal facility.

Staff

The Centre is currently managed with a team comprising two (2) Senior Research Scientists, two (2) Research Scientist, four (4) Assistant Research Scientists, a Principal Technologist and a Senior Technologist.

 

Activities of the Centre include:

  • Formulating policies and strategies for the safe and secured management of radioactive waste generated in Ghana;
  • Collecting and transporting radioactive waste materials from users or generators;
  • Safe and secure storage (transient and temporary) of radioactive waste materials at the Centralized Waste Processing and Storage facility;
  • Executing predisposal activities such as pre-treatment, treatment and conditioning of disused sealed radioactive materials;
  • Regular monitoring of radiation levels in and around the Centralized Waste Processing and Storage facility for prompt detection of safety aberrations;
  • Undertaking on-site and off-site monitoring and measurement of ambient airborne radioactivity;
  • Carrying out technical services and R&D in providing feasible solutions for radioactive waste management, especially, in the final disposal of these substances.
  • Management and updating of national inventory of radioactive waste generated in Ghana.

Projects

Borehole Disposal System (BDS); Current status -Active

The Centre is currently conducting research activities in support of the implementation of the borehole disposal system developed under the IAEA/AFRA regional project. This project involves the disposal of Disused Sealed Radioactive Sources (DSRS) in a narrow diameter engineered borehole facility as a safe, secure and cost-effective disposal option for all conditioned DSRSs in storage.

Featured Publications

Eric Akortia, Eric T. Glover, Mawutorli Nyarku, Abdallah M. A. Dawood, Paul Essel, Evelyn Ofosu Sarfo, Evans M. Ameho, Emmanuel A. Aberikae & Gustav Gbeddy Geological interactions and radio-chemical risks of primordial radionuclides 40K, 226Ra, and 232Th in Soil and Groundwater from Potential Radioactive Waste Disposal Site in Ghana (2021). Journal of Radioalogical and Nuclear Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-07675-2

 

Paul Essel, Mark Amo-Boateng, Dominic Otoo, Thomas Tetteh Akiti. Assessment of Migration of Radionuclides from a Hypothetical Radioactive Waste Repository Sited in the Schist Rock of the Accra Plains. International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology; Vol. 9 Issue 08, August-2020.

 

Gustav Gbeddy, Prasanna Egodawatta, Ashantha Goonetilleke, Godwin Ayoko, Ayomi Jayarathne, Lan Chen, Shane Russell. Optimized simultaneous in-cell clean-up pressurized fluid extraction, and analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and nitro-, carbonyl-, hydroxy-PAHs in road dust. Analytica Chimica Acta ACA_237662. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2020.05.021

 

Gustav Gbeddy, Ashantha Goonetilleke, Godwin A. Ayoko, Prasanna Egodawatta. Application of multivariate data techniques in photochemical study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and transformed PAH products in road dust. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 196, 110478. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.110478

 

E. Akortia, M. Lupankwa, J.O. Okonkwo (2019): Influence of particle size and total organic carbon on the distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in landfill soils: Assessment of exposure implications. Journal of Analytical Science and Technology 10(23): 2‒11

 

A.M.A. Dawood, P. Essel, E.T. Glover, E. Akortia, E.M. Ameho, E. Duodo, E.A. Aberikae (2019): Radiation Doses at the Radioactive Waste Storage Facility of Ghana. Elixir Nuclear & Radiation Physics 126: 52378‒52382