Solid Radioactive Waste Strategy Report.pdf - UK EPR

EPR UK
N° NESH-G/2008/en/0123
REV. A PAGE 54 / 257
AVOID
MINIMISE
Most
favorable
option
RE-USE
Increased sustainability
RECYCLE
DISPOSE
FIGURE 7: THE WASTE HIERARCHY
Least
favorable
option
7.2 Best Available Technique
It is a legal requirement under the RSA93 that the Best Available Technique (BAT) must be
applied both to minimise the production of relevant wastes and to minimise the discharge of
radioactivity into the environment.
In regard to the Reference Case (Based on the Flamanville 3 EPR), Chapter 8 of the PCER
provides an evaluation of environmental options considered and shows that the BATs have
been used to minimise the production and discharge and disposal of waste.
As BAT is largely a relative, not absolute, criterion, it is essential that utilities understand the full
range of factors that may influence the selection of a chosen waste management option against
a range of possible alternatives. Combinations of the options presented within this SRWSR
could be used by utilities to demonstrate that their chosen waste management option makes
use of the BAT.
In the UK there are two particular challenges that need to be addressed by New Power Plant
utilities:
· recognising the influence of site specific issues; and
· identifying what represents international ‘good practice’ through applying experience
gained by the utilities in the development of specific plant and processes.
It is the vendors intention to provide confidence that BAT solutions can be identified whilst
preserving as much flexibility as possible to allow the utilities to demonstrate BAT. This is
judged to be sensible approach given the range of uncertainties at this stage.