The UK Nuclear Industry LLW Management Plan identifies the tasks and activities for effectively implementing the UK Nuclear Industry LLW Strategy across the NDA estate. Sixty (60) strategic initiatives have been developed by LLWR, as the "UK Integrator" in LLW management, for implementing the waste hierarchy, good practices, and use of innovative technologies in LLW management. The collective implementation of these initiatives could produce a step-change improvement in LLW management practices across the UK and contribute significant savings to the LLW baseline.
The Management Plan deliverables below represent documents or studies that are completed to date to help enable implementation of the LLW Strategy. Additional document deliverables will be added as they are completed.
Waste Avoidance / Minimisation (WAM)
Avoiding the generation of waste prevents the need for any future management. The introduction of alternative materials for decommissioning purposes which can be assayed, cleaned easily, and then reused will be explored. Good practices from sites across the UK to achieve waste volume reduction and maximize benefit for an integrated LLW programme are described. By implementing improvements in this area, there are significant opportunities for cost savings and environmental benefits.
Waste Management Hierarchy guidance document
Deploy electronic sign-posting tool on LLWR website
Website on waste minimisation practices
Waste Characterisation (WC)
In order to have a better understanding of waste activity levels and thus support more cost effective management procedures, improved waste characterisation is required. Implementation of good practices and guidance in waste characterisation will promote more consistent, technically-sound techniques in waste measurements and help prevent overly-conservative waste estimating.
Guidance document on waste characterisation
Waste Segregation / Categorisation (SC)
In order to improve segregation of wastes, many different innovative improvements will be introduced. These including improving monitoring capabilities and also the development of tools that will aid in cost-effectively dismantling complex structures. Use of NICoP guidance to support segregation of exempt wastes from LLW also plays a role in maximising opportunities within this area.
Available Waste Management Services
Waste Treatment (WT)
Waste treatment covers a whole range of processes to reduce waste volumes and stabilise the waste for ultimate disposal. There are significant opportunities to reduce waste volumes for disposal through alternative waste treatment options, including metal recycling and smelting, waste compaction, and incineration of combustible wastes. To gain any immediate benefit from opening up new routes, waste must be effectively segregated and categorised now to facilitate any onward treatment.
Independent metal decontamination study
Consolidated R&D recommendations for hazardous and ophan wastes
Recycle / Re-use and Exempt Waste (RR)
Decommissioning wastes, mainly concrete and metal, are expected to dominate future waste volumes and forecasts. Metals from within the industry are beginning to be recycled, with some metals being sent overseas for melting. Concrete from building demolitions could be reused in the nuclear industry as part of the LLWR closure cap or to fill in areas from current nuclear sites. This would reduce the need to buy new materials and also reduce transport and disposal costs.
Website for sharing re-use and recycling good practices
Recycled Concrete Aggregate Stakeholder Dialogue
Waste Disposal (WD)
At present, only one national LLW disposal facility for the UK LLW exists. The LLWR near Drigg, Cumbria has been used to dispose of all LLW, including much VLLW and exempt waste which could have been more appropriate consigned. Therefore, the plan is for new disposal facilities to be opened to optimise LLWRs’ engineered-vault system for LLW disposal. Current LLW policy permits the disposal of high volume VLLW to specified landfills. Alternative facility locations, capacities, and transportation considerations will be evaluated.
Developed Operational Strategy
On Site Disposal Business Case Guidance
Waste Packaging (WP)
Improved waste packaging to improve waste packing efficiencies and increase the types of available packages and containers for consignor use will be implemented. New containers or packages will be designed with an integrated approach in mind to ensure that the flexibility of use is maximized, depending on the characteristics of the waste. Safe, efficient, and cost-effective packaging is the primary objective.
Guidance document on LLW Packaging
Waste Transportation (TRAN)
An integrated transport strategy will be adopted, encompassing both material shipments to LLWR (waste and construction materials) and waste shipments between consignors and various treatment and disposal service providers. Cost-effective opportunities for rail transportation will be examined.
Waste Tracking/Inventory Management (TIM)
LLWR will provide an integrated, comprehensive, and customer friendly web-based tool providing both comprehensive LLW Management Tracking and a Shipping Tracking System (STS). The database-style Waste Tracking System (WTS) has already been developed for other applications to support the current LLW disposal processes and procedures.
Strategy Implementation (SI)
Development and implementation of the UK Nuclear Industry LLW Strategy will support overall NDA site decommissioning, cleanup, and restoration missions as well as support civil public sector nuclear sites, and ongoing operations at nuclear power stations. The collective implementation of the strategy at all NDA sites could achieve a step-change improvement in LLW management practices across the NDA estate.
UK Nuclear Industry LLW Strategy
UK Nuclear Industry LLW Management Plan
Strategic Option and Opportunity studies