Interim storage
Our work on interim storage covers treatment, packaging, storage, and transport of higher activity wastes . We include the management of spent nuclear fuels, plutonium and uranium that may be dealt with as wastes in the future. Much of our work consists of scrutiny and advice on the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority's (NDA's) development and implementation of its strategies for higher activity wastes, spent fuels and nuclear materials (NDA Strategy).
Geological disposal
- We are scrutinising and advising on the volunteering and partnership approach to finding a site for a geological disposal facility.
- We attended meetings of the West Cumbria MRWS Partnership as observers and noted the Partnership's final report . We observed meetings in Kent about whether Shepway District Council should express an interest in participating in the process to find a site for a geological disposal facility.
- We scrutinise the work of NDA’s Radioactive Waste Management Directorate (RWMD), the Government’s delivery organisation for geological disposal.
- In particular, we look at its implementation planning and development of a disposal system safety case.
Scottish Government policy
Scotland has decided not to adopt geological disposal and has developed its own policy of near-site, near-surface storage and disposal. We scrutinised the policy development process and published our findings (doc.2818) We are now scrutinising and advising Scottish Government on the development of a strategy to implement its policy (doc.3063).
Research and development
Our scrutiny and advice on research and development (R&D) covers treatment, packaging, storage and transport, as well as geological disposal. Since our 2009 report to Government on R&D (doc 2543), we have produced further advice on co-ordination of R&D and on the scope of the geological disposal research programme (docs. 2973 & 2995).
Engagement
- We scrutinise the public and stakeholder engagement (PSE) activities of the various organisations involved in the management of higher activity wastes.
- We carry out our own PSE: meeting various groups of people, sending out documents for comment and maintaining this website.
- We have produced a position paper that reviews Government and NDA PSE on topics within our remit (doc. 2850).
Wastes from new nuclear power stations
We scrutinse and advise on proposed arrangements for managing new build wastes (spent fuels and intermediate level wastes) under our interim storage and geological disposal tasks. We also include new build wastes in our work on R&D and PSE. From time to time we publish papers summarising the information we have obtained from monitoring developments relevant to the management of new build wastes (doc. 2996).
CoRWM recommendations to Government
General
We keep a watching brief on issues relevant to the management of higher activity wastes, particularly international developments and experience, UK regulatory developments and planning and environmental assessment issues.
Our annual reports contain a section giving our views on the current status of UK plans and arrangements for managing higher activity wastes (doc. 3036)