A distinguished group of nuclear experts has launched a new independent advisory service for nuclear waste disposal.
The group’s collective expertise adds up to many decades of work in this controversial area, including advising government, the nuclear industry, environmental groups and NGOs. Its members’ specialisms cover policy, planning, public engagement, geology, and technical aspects of nuclear waste disposal and storage.
Disposal of high activity nuclear waste has been an unsolved problem for six decades. This launch coincides with a renewed search for a Deep Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) in England & Wales. Any new programme of reactors could require more than one facility of this kind.
Currently this process is being led by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. Its Nuclear Waste Services division has already established Community Partnerships to consider hosting a GDF in four areas of England. Three are in Cumbria: mid-Copeland, South Copeland and Allerdale. A fourth, Theddlethorpe, is in Lincolnshire. Other areas identified in the future as potential GDF sites may also benefit from NWAA services.
The group’s brochure sets out the range of issues that communities and local authorities need to consider. It is attached to this press notice and available on the NWAA website
A NWAA spokesperson said:
‘All of these Community Partnerships are currently being advised only by the industry, which is also the delivery body. The need for independent advice has never been more urgent as communities consider the serious nature of these proposals, not just for the present time but far into the future.
‘Geological disposal is a massive project and its impacts will be similarly huge. We aim to ensure that local authorities, communities and Community Partnerships get the whole picture.’