Review of low level radioactive waste management in the United Kingdom

From 1 April 2005, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) will assume ownership of sites currently owned and operated by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and BNFL, including the LLW disposal facility at Drigg. The NDA will be responsible for developing strategy and will have a remit to accelerate decommissioning and cleanup and to ensure that the Drigg facility is operated as a national asset. One of the first actions of the NDA will be to organize a UK policy review to determine whether alternative disposal arrangements or methods for management of low level radioactive waste are required. This paper outlines the current situation with respect to low level radioactive waste management in the UK and summarizes the issues that must be addressed. Finally, it describes the methodology that will be used to conduct the policy review in the UK. (author)