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ICONDE

ICONDE kick-off meeting

UiT Narvik, 5th - 6th April 2022
The kick-off meeting of ICONDE project funded by EEA Baltic Research Programme's projects (https://eeagrants.lv/en/2021/05/08/innovation-in-concrete-design-for-hazardous-waste-management-applications/ ) was held at UiT campus Narvik instead of RTU due to COVID 19 restrictions in Baltic countries from 5th to 6th April 2022.

All project partners attended, namely:

  • Sabine Upnere and Andrejs Krasnikovs (RTU, Riga Technical University),
  • Volodymyr Gulik, Riho Motlep and Siiri Salupere (UT, University of Tartu),
  • Iveta Novakova, Ashfaque Ahmed Jhatial and Eirik Gjerlow (UiT, Arctic University of Norway),
  • Mindaugas Vaišnoras, Inna Pitak and Algirdas Kaliatka (LEI, Lithuanian Energy Institute)
The meeting lasted for two days and besides discussion about completed tasks, evaluation of the further plan and project progress was addressed in detail. Many emphases were given to live events that have to be rescheduled (due to COVID 19 pandemic situation). All partners recognized the increased need for good dissemination of results towards industry and other research institutes.
The ICONDE project conducts research on concrete design for hazardous waste management applications. This includes the management of radioactive waste, which is connected mainly to the decommissioning of the Ignalina nuclear power plant, particularly gamma radiation and neutron shielding. Furthermore, the ICONDE project fully complies with nowadays needs:
  1. EU strategy connected to hazardous (including radioactive and nuclear) waste management.
  2. The present geopolitical situation has strongly brought up the need to establish energy independence in Europe - the use of nuclear power in European countries is likely to increase in the future. The ICONDE project is devoted to the development of innovative and efficient materials for safe radioactive waste management, which guarantees modern radiation protection requirements.
  3. UN´s sustainable development goals as circular material flow are addressed by adding oil shale ash, waste from energy production in Estonia, into the concrete where it is replacing partly cement.
The first day of the event was closed by dinner, where partners from Baltic countries tasted "Boknafisk", a traditional dish from Northern Norway. The second day of the kick-off meeting started with a city tour and visit to the LKAB shipping facility guided by Jorn Eldby. Twelve participants from all four project
partner institutes were satisfied with the event and agreed that this physical
meeting would positively impact project progress.

The next meeting of the project participants is scheduled for June 2022 in Tartu.