This International Standard is applicable to gamma radiation measurements on radioactive waste. Radioactive waste can be found in different forms and exhibit a wide range of characteristics@ including the following: ?? raw or unconditioned waste@ including process waste (filters@ resins@ control rods@ scrap@ etc.) and waste from dismantling or decommissioning; ?? conditioned waste in various forms and matrices (bitumen@ cement@ hydraulic binder@ etc.); ?? very low level (VLLW)@ low level (LLW)@ intermediate level (ILW) and high level radioactive waste (HLW); ?? different package shapes: cylinders@ cubes@ parallelepipeds@ etc. Guidance is provided in respect of implementation@ calibration@ and quality control. The diversity of applications and system realizations (ranging from research to industrial systems@ from very low level to high level radioactive waste@ from small to large volume packages with different shapes@ with different performance requirements and allowable measuring time) renders it impossible to provide specific guidance for all instances; the objective of this International Standard is@ therefore@ to establish a set of guiding principles. Ultimately@ implementation is to be performed by suitably qualified and experienced persons and based on a thorough understanding of the influencing factors@ contributing variables and performance requirements of the specific measurement application. This International Standard assumes that the need for the provision of such a system will have been adequately considered and that its application and performance requirements will have been adequately defined through the use of a structured requirements capture process@ such as data quality objectives (DQO). It is noted that@ while outside the scope of this International Standard@ many of the principles@ measurement methods@ and recommended practices discussed here are also equally applicable to gamma measurements of items other than radioactive waste (e.g. bulk food@ water@ free-standing piles of materials) or to measurements made on radioactive materials contained within non-traditional packages (e.g. in transport containers).