1.4. Monitoring and surveillance programmes are important elements in providing assurance that a disposal facility for radioactive waste performs at the required level of safety during the operational and post-closure phases. The type of waste and the corresponding disposal facility will influence the monitoring approach taken. In the case of a near surface disposal facility, for waste containing relatively short lived radionuclides, it is possible to apply direct controls to determine whether the safety goals are being met. In the case of geological disposal of waste with long lived radionuclides, direct controls after closure are not feasible. The goals for safety and protection in this case can only be derived by predictions that are based on the available data and existing knowledge.