Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM)

The independent Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM) was set up by the UK Government in November 2003. Its task was to review and recommend the option or combination of options that can provide a solution for the long term management of high and intermediate level radioactive wastes in the UK. 

CoRWM was asked to work in an open, transparent and inclusive manner, to provide an opportunity for members of the UK public and other key stakeholder groups to participate in and engage on the process of making recommendations to the UK Government. These recommendations were published in a report on 31 July 2006.

SEPA’s role

We were involved as a key stakeholder in the CoRWM process and met with CoRWM on several occasions, providing responses to the public and stakeholder engagement consultations and technical input into National Stakeholder Forum, citizen's panels and workshops.

The Government’s response to CoRWM’s recommendations in October 2006, accepted the primary recommendation of disposal of radioactive waste deep underground (using an option known as geological disposal) as the best available disposal option. However, a robust programme of interim storage is needed now, as the process leading to the creation of suitable facilities for disposal may take several decades.

The response also committed to setting up a reconstituted CoRWM with modified terms of reference and stated that planning and development of the geological disposal option would be based on four key pillars:

• a strong and effective implementing organisation, with clear responsibilities and accountabilities
  
  
• strong independent regulation by the statutory regulators - the Health and Safety Executive, the environment agencies and the Office for Civil Nuclear Security
  
  
• independent scrutiny and advice to Government on implementation
  
  
• a partnership with the host community.

The UK Government and the Welsh and Northern Ireland devolved administrations consulted on a framework for the long term management of higher activity radioactive waste.  Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, said on 25th June 2007 that the Scottish Government would not support the consultation on the basis that "The Scottish government does not accept that geological disposal is the right way forward”.
 
However, he added further the intention of the Scottish Government to continue to support those CoRWM recommendations relating to a robust programme of interim storage and would also support further joint research on other long-term management options.

The 25th June 2007 announcement included that the Scottish policy for waste is to support long term “near surface near site” storage facilities so that the waste is monitorable and retrievable and the need for transporting it over long distances is minimal.
 
UK Government set up a reconstituted CoRWM II to play a key role in scrutinising Government’s and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s (NDA) plans for the long term management, including interim storage and disposal, of radioactive waste. It will provide ongoing independent advice to UK Government and devolved administrations.

SEPA will continue to have contact with CoRWM II and other relevant parties involved in implementing the next stage of the MRWS process.