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CLEANING UP OUR NUCLEAR LEGACY - EXPERTS LOOK TO NEW BODY TO PLAY A WIDE ROLE
RWMAC Press Release - 15 December 2003
RWMAC - the Government's watchdog on radioactive waste management - today publishes its 23rd Annual Report. Along with this, the Committee addresses the important issues raised by proposals setting up the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) to take ownership of the UK's publicly-owned civil nuclear sites and to accelerate their clean up.
The RWMAC Chairman, Professor Charles Curtis, said:
"Because of the difficult challenges posed by many of the older United Kingdom sites, the NDA is at centre stage in moving forward radioactive waste management in this country. We have set out clearly what needs to be done, including by the Government itself, if this new organisation is to be a success.
The Government needs, for example, to get on and set the standards applying to remediation of radioactively contaminated ground on nuclear sites. We have heard for too long that various reviews are underway. If it is to be able to carry out its work effectively, the NDA will require early answers.
We also recommend that the regulators need to be in a position from which they can exercise effective influence over the NDA should that become necessary."
RWMAC points out that the Government's initiative "Managing Radioactive Waste Safely" is addressing the possible long-term options for the UK's higher activity wastes, much of which will come to be owned and managed by the NDA. But the Annual Report also highlights the unresolved and serious problems that are bound to arise in managing huge volumes of low activity radioactive waste, including building rubble and contaminated soil, from clean up. Of this, Professor Curtis said
"These wastes cannot all go to the existing low level waste disposal facility at Drigg - there will not be room. Nor can we envisage building more Driggs - the costs, in environmental and financial terms, are simply unacceptable. Sensible solutions are needed. We stress the need for a debate on these issues. The NDA, which will also be responsible for these wastes, has a big role to play".
Notes for editors
RWMAC is the independent body that gives advice to the UK Government and the devolved administrations for Scotland and Wales on all aspects of policy and practices relating to the management of civil radioactive wastes. Hence reference to "Government" in this press release applies collectively to UK Government and these devolved administrations.
The forthcoming Energy Bill will provide for clean up in relation to the liabilities of British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) by a new body, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA). By law, responsibility for the safe operation of nuclear sites rests with site licensees, currently BNFL and UKAEA, which are likely to become, in the first instance, the NDA's contractors.
"Higher activity wastes" include, for example, components that have been in close contact with irradiated nuclear fuel. "Low activity wastes", on which RWMAC reported in detail during the year, include the very much higher waste volumes arising from the decommissioning of nuclear facilities and the clean up of nuclear sites.
During 2002-2003, RWMAC held meetings with senior managers from BNFL and UKAEA and the Annual Report covers the issues raised in detail.
The text of the RWMAC Annual Report and its advice in the establishment of the NDA can be found on the RWMAC website. Copies of the reports, priced £10, can be purchased from: DEFRA Publications, Admail 6000, London SW1A 2XX (08459 556000).
Press Enquiries: 020 7082 8484 (RWMAC secretariat)
