The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

A project called "Upstream Optioneering" will help identify and implement opportunities for improved management of higher activity radioactive waste in the UK.

Latest Update

 Upstream Optioneering Update February 2013 (300Kb) 

For further information see:

• More information on the upstream optioneering workshop held in July 2012

 Update June 2012 (300Kb)

Project aims

Our Radioactive Waste Management Directorate is leading this work as part of the objective "to identify and deliver solutions to optimise the management of higher activity waste". We will undertake the work in conjunction with waste producers.

The improvements for the management of higher activity radioactive waste could lead to

•  quicker and more cost effective hazard reduction
• reduced environmental and safety impacts, and
• other benefits. 

We call this "upstream" because it includes waste management activities up to and including geological disposal.

The above image illustrates the "upstream" management activities in the Higher Activity Radioactive Waste Lifecycle:

• waste (as stored)
• retrieval
• treatment
• conditioning
• interim storage
• transport
• disposal

(further activities: sort/segregate; characterisation; buffer storage; on-site storage)

Who will we work with?

The Upstream Optioneering project team works with:

• the Radioactive Waste Management Directorate
• NDA Strategy team
• NDA Delivery team
• the Site Licence Companies and
• other UK radioactive waste producers.

The upstream optioneering project in context

Working with the UK nuclear industry, we have identified a number of opportunities which will be delivered over a number of years. We will shortly publish more in-depth information on this work.

We will respond to requests related to Upstream Optioneering identified by the industry.

Contact the team: upstream.optioneering@nda.gov.uk

Further Information on higher activity waste management
Work in the UK to implement geological disposal for such wastes is currently at an early stage of development	Steps towards implementation March 2010 (550Kb)
NDA Strategy - Higher Activity Waste (HAW) Objective: To treat and package retrieved HAW and place it in safe, secure and suitable storage facilities until it can be disposed of, or be held in long-term storage in the case of a proportion of HAW in Scotland.	NDA Strategy - Higher Activity Waste
Summary of the Higher Activity Wastes (HAW) Topic Strategy credible options to be taken forward by the NDA.	Higher Activity Waste - Credible Options February 2011 (1Mb)
Work to support implementing geological disposal and informing waste producers and potential new build operators on the disposability and full life cycle implications of high-heat generating wastes – focussing in particular on disposal of spent fuel.	Developing disposal concepts for higher activity waste