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Near-surface radioactive waste disposal

Solid radioactive waste is produced, conditioned and stored at nuclear licensed sites and non-nuclear premises. Much of it will, in due course, be disposed of to facilities on land.  The types of disposal facilities that are used depend on the properties of the waste including the level of radioactivity it contains.

Specialised radioactive waste disposal facilities are regulated by SEPA through authorisations that we grant under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993.  We attach limits and conditions to the authorisations that we grant, which are binding on operators and provide the means by which we regulate the development and operation of any near-surface disposal facility for radioactive waste. 

The developers and operators of near-surface facilities for solid radioactive waste disposal have to demonstrate to us that their facilities will properly protect people and the environment. They need to show that their approach to developing the facilities and the location, design, construction, operation and closure of the facilities will meet a series of principles and requirements.  To this end, SEPA has jointly produced guidance with the Environment Agency and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, that sets out these principles and requirements, and describes how we shall interpret them.  It also provides information about the associated framework of legislation, government policy and international obligations.

The guidance includes a requirement that the developer or operator of a disposal facility should produce an environmental safety case.  This should show how the facility meets the requirements set out in the guidance, and show that people and the environment are protected from the hazards associated with disposals to the facility.  This new guidance replaces earlier regulatory guidance issued in 1997. 

The guidance can be downloaded here: Near-surface Disposal Facilities on Land for Solid Radioactive Wastes; Guidance on Requirements for Authorisation, February 2009  (1.6mb).

We produced this guidance with the help of consultations which took place in 2007 and 2008. You can view the consultation report at: Near-surface disposal facilities: Response to consultation comments  (56KB).

For frequently asked questions (FAQ) please follow this link