Harwell
Radioactive waste managed at Harwell originated from three main sources: nuclear liabilities of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), GE Healthcare facilities and minor waste producers (i.e. non-nuclear industry, research and educational centres and hospitals).
Harwell (NDA)
(including wastes from minor waste producers)
Harwell was established in 1946 as Britain’s first Atomic Energy Research Establishment. The site accommodated five research reactors of various types. Harwell also had a number of other nuclear research facilities, together with plutonium handling facilities, radioactive laboratories, nuclear waste treatment and storage facilities.
Decommissioning is well underway – two of the reactors have been completely removed, and the fuel has been removed from the remaining three which are now being decommissioned. More than 100 other facilities have been removed from the site and others are being decommissioned. Historic wastes are being retrieved from their existing storage locations and repackaged for longer-term storage - and eventual disposal. It is expected that decommissioning will be completed by 2031.
In addition, RSRL stores some radioactive wastes from minor waste producers that cannot be disposed of with domestic, commercial or industrial wastes via existing disposal routes. Once these wastes have been transferred to RSRL storage facilities, RSRL is responsible for their management.
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Location |
Oxfordshire |
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Nuclear operation period |
Operated from 1946 to 1990 |
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Status |
Decommissioning |
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Site licensee |
Research Sites Restoration Ltd (RSRL) |
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Responsible organisation |
Nuclear Decommissioning Authority * |
* The part of the Harwell Oxford Campus which includes the designated site is owned by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. Since 2007 the NDA has leased the designated site from the United Kingdom Atomic Authority and in turn underleases it to RSRL to enable it to carry out its decommissioning role.
Harwell (GE Healthcare)
GE Healthcare Ltd is a health science company providing products and services for use in healthcare and life science research. The company is a supplier of radioisotopes for medical, research and industrial uses.
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Location |
Oxfordshire |
|---|---|
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Nuclear operation period |
Operated from 1960s |
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Status |
Operational |
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Site licensee |
GE Healthcare * |
|
Responsible organisation |
GE Healthcare * |
* Since 2007 the NDA has leased the designated site from the United Kingdom Atomic Authority and in turn underleases it to RSRL to enable it to carry out its decommissioning role. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority is responsible for all nuclear liabilities on the site (except for those managed by GE Healthcare) which are managed on their behalf under contract by RSRL
