The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

Inaugural meeting of National Low Level Waste Strategy Group

21 May 2008

 

The NDA is leading on the development of a UK-wide Low Level Waste (LLW) Strategy for nuclear sites. As part of the recently awarded contract for the Low Level Waste Repository, the new contractor UK Nuclear Waste Management Ltd.,(UKNWM Ltd), will work as a strategic partner of the NDA to develop long-term arrangements for the management of all UK low level waste as manager and operator of the only large scale national LLW disposal facility in the UK.

The work will include providing strategic plans for managing and finally disposing of low level waste in the UK. The contractor will also work in collaboration with NDA and waste producers on a comprehensive UK LLW Management Plan.

The development of the UK LLW Management Plan was originally scheduled to be completed over four year period in line with the NDA strategy. The process the NDA asked the bidders as part of the competition process to consider how they would develop such a plan and potentially deliver sooner.

The new contractor UKNWM Ltd. will undertake strategic reviews and options and opportunities studies which will contribute to development of the NDA’s National Nuclear Industry Low Level Waste Strategy. A plan for the optimal use of the Low Level Waste Repository near Drigg will also be developed over the next few years.

Meanwhile the government will develop and maintain a strategy for UK non-nuclear industry low level waste. This waste arises from hospitals, the pharmaceutical industry, research and educational establishments. The NDA will support the Government on this to ensure both strategies are aligned and that any infrastructure NDA provides to manage the LLW generated from its decommissioning programme will be made available to non-nuclear and non-NDA waste producers under suitable commercial terms.

The first meeting of the National Low Level Waste Strategy Group was attended by over 75 people representing the regulators, Government, Local Government and ALL low level waste producers.

Joanne Fisher, NDA’s Head of Lower Activity Waste Management, who chairs the group, said the aim was to provide a forum for a wide range of key stakeholders together to work in partnership to identify innovations, value for money proposals and to promote implementation of the waste hierarchy. Waste producers working with the LLWR and NDA will help us and plan effective waste disposal solutions. It will also help us more effectively engage the supply chain when looking for innovative application of the strategy and national solutions.

“The group will provide us with a collaborative and consultative forum to integrate the UK LLW programme on a regional and national scale. It will strengthen the partnership between the NDA and key stakeholders and will help us speed up our approach in developing a national strategy,” she said.

Dr Juliet Long from the Environment Agency said:
“The strategy to be developed has to work over decades. This is a tremendous opportunity for us all to contribute. We want to respond to the challenges and we all may need to look at how we can change to achieve this. Let’s ensure we get it right.”

NDA CEO, Dr Ian Roxburgh welcomed all of the participants.
“I would like to thank you for tour engagement in this process. Your energy and enthusiasm for the project comes across very strongly.”