The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

Last Updated: 13 March 2010

Lower Activity Waste (LAW) arises from a number of activities undertaken at NDA sites including: fuel fabrication and uranium enrichment; nuclear power generation; spent fuel reprocessing; nuclear energy research and development and decommissioning.  Many of these processes also result in liquid and gaseous effluents that need to be managed. As a result the LAW Topic strategy comprises two strands, namely the management of solid Low Level Waste (LLW) and Liquid and Gaseous discharges.

Downloadable version of this page:
 Lower Activity Waste Topic Strategy Summary (150Kb)

•  Supporting documentation

Objective

For solid LLW the objective is to provide continued capability and capacity for managing solid low level radioactive waste (LLW), management systems to enable estate-wide application of the waste hierarchy and deliver Uk decommissioning and operational programme aligned to the UK Strategy for the Management of Solid LLW.

For liquid and gaseous discharges the objective is to prevent or minimise the environmental impact of radioactive liquid and gaseous discharges through proportionate and diligent application of the waste hierarchy, in alignment with the UK Strategy for Radioactive Discharges.

It is worth noting for both of these topic strands, that the waste hierarchy forms a framework in which waste producers work.  In practice, waste management decisions will need to be underpinned by BAT / BPEO / BPM and 'business case' assessment which consider a broad range of criteria in order to provide appropriate protection for people and the environment and obtain value for money.

Scope and Boundaries

The scope of the strategy for the management of solid LLW includes the segregation, quantification, characterisation, handling, treatment, packaging, transport and sentencing and disposal of solid LLW.  This comprises a full life-cycle approach to waste management, including the design, construction, operation and decommissioning of any solid LLW management facilities.  Hence this topic includes the operation of the Low Level Waste Repository (LLWR) and the strategic partnership between LLW Repository Ltd and NDA, and the use of supply chain facilities for the treatment and disposal of radioactive wastes.

As noted in the UK solid LLW Policy (March 2007), the NDA is required to make LLW management and disposal facilities available to other nuclear and non-nuclear industry producers of radioactive waste under appropriate commercial agreements.

For liquid and gaseous discharges the strategy covers the characterisation, treatment, sentencing and disposal of these wastes.  Again a full life-cycle approach is within scope of this topic strategy.  Included in this topic strand, therefore, are: liquid waste treatment processes; gaseous waste treatment processes, and associated secondary waste management processes, operated by facility managers within the nuclear sector and by the wider supply chain where appropriate.

Radioactive waste that has been demonstrated to be exempt from regulation under the Radioactive Substances Act is not include in the scope of this topic, because in practice such materials are managed as non-radioactive and hazardous wastes.

Interfaces

The Solid LLW strategy interfaces with a number of other topics including:

• Higher Activity Waste strategy and Non-Radioactive and hazardous waste strategy are related because of the potential for transfer between categories as a result of improved characterisation and treatment
• Revenue optimisation strategy is related because of the operation of the LLW Repository
• Decommissioning and Clean-Up strategy and Non NDA Liability Management strategy and Site end state strategy and Land and groundwater quality management strategy are related because of the quantity of LLW to be managed

The Liquid and gaseous discharges strategy interfaces with a number of other topics including:

• Decommissioning and Clean-Up strategy is related because of the compliance with discharge authorisations
• Site End State strategy is related because of delivering the desired end state
• Land and Groundwater Quality Management strategy is related because of quantities of waste generated.
• Asset care to maintain appropriate levels of containment
• Magnox Fuel
• Oxide Fuel
• Exotics

The topic strategy is developed under the same guiding principles underpinning hazardous waste management and radioactive discharges in the UK, namely:

• Living within environmental limits
• Achieving a sustainable economy
• Ensuring a strong, healthy and just society
• Promoting good governance
• Using sound science responsibly

Credible Options

Credible options and corresponding sub-options for the management of Solid LLW are as follows:

1.      Manage LLW using existing facilities
2.      Construct new facilities in the UK for treatment and disposal of LLW

2.1  Local facilities

2.2  Regional facilities

2.3  National facilities

3.      Use international facilities for treatment and disposal of LLW

As expressed in the consultation on the UK Nuclear Industry LLW strategy, the best option is likely to be a combination of the above rather than one particular choice, as demonstrated in the LLW Strategy Strategic Environmental Assessment.  The guiding principle in the stratgy is to apply the waste hierarchy to provide continued capability and capacity for LLW management.  This underpins optimised use of the Low Level Waste Repository (LLWR) reflecting its role as a UK asset, with a view to avoiding the need to construct a successor facility.

We are at an early stage in developing the liquid and gaseous discharges topic strategy, however, the management of these wastes is a relatively mature activity at the producer sites and a strategy for the management of discharges already exists as the UK level (the recently published UK Discharge Strategy, July 2009). This UK Startegy will form the basis of this topic strategy. 

There are a number of factors that will further influence the development of the topic strategy:

• input from key stakeholders with an interest in the strategy
• the approach will focus on the best outcome to protect people and the environment
• we need to ensure that the way forward is flexible so as to incorporate mitigating actions that result from the NDA Strategy Strategic Environmental Assessment

Of the influences above, the UK Strategy for Radioactive Discharges is a key one.  It i the product of extensive external consultation and highlights guiding principles for the management of radioactive liquid and faseou discharges in all sectors in which they are generated.

Current Position

The current strategy for solid LLW (i.e. the exiting approach in place at NDA sites) is to ensure that LLW disposal capacity is maintained in the near term by maximising the operational life of LLWR and by implementation of the waste hierarchy in ine with government Policy for the Long Term Management of Solid LLW.  

The current topic strategy for liquid and gaseous discharges encourages the operators of NDA sites to manage the materials as part of their integrated waste planning, taking full cognisance of good practice, with the aim of achieving the best overall outcome for people, the environment and the taxpayer.

The NDA Topic Strategy for solid LLW is mature and well established(in SMS space) as a result of the extensive effort in developing the UK nuclear industry LLW Strategy.

As noted above we are at the early stages of the strategy development process for liquid and gaseous discharges, although recognie that the UK framework is already in place.  A key issue in this are is the need for flexibility in liquid and gaseous discharges as arising may change as progress is made in the UK decommissioning programme and decisions are made on how strategic assets will be managed in the future.

Work is progressing towards refining the Topic Strategy with the aim of achieving Gate C for soild LLW and Liquid and Gaseous discharges in 2010.

Position at Strategy II (June 2010)

It is anticipated that the Lower Activity Waste Topic Strategy will be at Stage D, implementation, in the Strategy Management System by Strategy II.