UK Nuclear Waste Services launches safety strategy

The UK's Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) strategy has been published and is focused on key objectives to improve safety.

These objectives ensure that the right waste form, in the right package, is managed or disposed of at the right facility. 

NWS says it will support accelerated decommissioning through innovation, with legacy and future waste streams managed through technology development, expertise and setting worldwide standards to provide value for the UK.

This is needed as nuclear technology has provided around 15% of the UK’s electricity and is used in industry, medicine and defence.

The associated waste needs to be managed safely and securely, both now and for the very long-term, as nuclear power is viewed by the government as essential to the green energy mix and securing our energy supply in the future.

This means alongside other things capping will start on the Low Level Waste Repository in 2024-25; thermal treatment technologies will be developed as a proven technology by 2026-27; and decisions on the communities to progress as part of the Geological Disposal Facility programme will be made by 2026.

In a joint statement, NWS Chair Adrienne Kelbie and NWS CEO Corhyn Parr say, ‘Our purpose is clear: to make nuclear waste permanently safe, sooner. And we want to become the ‘one-stop shop’ for nuclear waste management and disposal solutions in the UK.

This strategy sets our direction, objectives, key milestones, and the transformation needed to succeed by 2030.’

The NWS strategy is here in its entirety.