The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

 

Our Radioactive Waste Management Directorate (RWMD) has produced a Permissions Schedule for geological disposal of higher activity radioactive waste in line with the requirements of the Government's Managing Radioactive Waste Safely White Paper.

The Permissions Schedule illustrates the sequence of activities including

• safety
• environmental and
• planning permissions

we expect will be needed to allow geological disposal to take place.

The Permissions Schedule extends well into the future; our planning assumption is that first radioactive waste emplacement will occur around 2040.

Ahead of that, a suitable site needs to be chosen through the UK Government's site selection process which is currently underway, based on voluntarism and partnership with local communities.

 

Simon Morgan, RWMD's Regulatory Implementation Manager said:

"It is important that any site eventually chosen for radioactive waste disposal and our associated implementation plans are safe and secure, and the environment is protected into the future. The Permissions Schedule sets out a robust framework to make sure we understand the regulatory and planning requirements that need to be met. Early and ongoing engagement between the safety, environmental, security, transport and nuclear safeguards regulators and our Radioactive Waste Management Directorate is required to inform and assist the subsequent formal regulatory stages."

"We have developed the Permissions Schedule working closely with a range of people including regulators, Government departments, the devolved administrations and the relevant Local Government Association special interest group. Our aim is to provide useful information for all stakeholders on what permissions will be needed to implement geological disposal of radioactive waste, and when those permissions will be needed in the Government's site selection process."

 Permissions Schedule for geological disposal of higher activity radioactive waste - November 2010 (2Mb)

 Diagram illustrating stages 1 to 6 of the permission schedule for geological disposal of higher activity radioactive waste (300Kb)

• More information on our role in geological disposal