RSRL Integrated Waste Strategy - Issue 5- Oct 2012.pdf

NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKEDhistoric arisings in tube stores at Harwell. The processing of SGHWR sludges atWinfrith into a passively safe form was completed in March 2010.• Recognition that future arisings range from ILW and LLW through to hazardous andnon-hazardous exempt (“out of scope”) waste which will be produced during thedecommissioning of the reactors, waste management facilities and buildingscontaining low or no activity. This includes high volume very low level waste (HV-VLLW) and Low Activity Low Level Waste (LA-LLW) suitable for disposal at landfill 2 .• The assumption that ILW arising from decommissioning activities at both Winfrithand Harwell will be stored on the Harwell site until a Geological Disposal Facility(GDF) is available for disposal. This is in line with current NDA Strategy (effectiveApril 2011) and the findings of the UK HAW Storage Review which encourages theoptimisation of waste management solutions by using assets across the NDA estate.ooAt Winfrith the solid ILW from the SGHWR and Dragon reactors will bepackaged and grouted into Robust Concrete Boxes (RCBs) along with ILWconcrete lined drums and stored uranium. These will be transferred to theHarwell ILW store for interim storage pending disposal to the GDF. Thoriummetal at Winfrith will be transferred to Harwell in 200 litre drums for interimstorage. Whilst the baseline strategy for the thorium is to package and groutit into RCBs prior to disposal to the GDF, RSRL is actively pursuing sale forre-use in the fuel cycle.At Harwell, ILW will be packaged into a mixture of 500 litre drums, RCBs and3m 3 boxes. The Vault Store will continue to store the legacy wastes in 500litre drums and a new on-site ILW store will be built to take the RCBs and3m 3 boxes containing RSRL decommissioning waste until the GDF isavailable.• The transfer of wastes containing nuclear materials to Sellafield for onwardprocessing and long-term storage pending final disposal to a future GDF. Thesewastes are currently stored on the Harwell site.• Whilst the strategy is to consign LLW arising during the site programmes at Winfrithand Harwell to the LLW Repository (LLWR) near Drigg alternative disposal routes inline with the RSRL and LLWR Joint Waste Management Plan are being developedand will be reflected in future updates of the IWS.• The disposal of cemented SGHWR sludges, currently stored in 500 litre drums in theWinfrith Treated Radwaste Store (TRS), to the Low Level Waste Repository (LLWR).• The disposal of high volume very low level waste (HV-VLLW) and Low Activity LowLevel Waste (LA-LLW) to suitable landfill facilities. With a large volume of LA-LLWand HV-VLLW arising from decommissioning and land remediation alternatives todisposal at LLWR have been considered and a route established in early 2012. Thisroute is being successfully utilised by the Harwell site and its continued availability isa key issue for the organisation. Having established at a BAT AssessmentWorkshop held in July 2012 that disposal to an appropriately Permitted off-sitelandfill is the preferred option for similar Winfrith wastes, arrangements are beingmade to develop this route for the Winfrith site also.2Formerly known as HVLA wasteRSRL IWS (Issue 5 – October 2012)3