Independent Peer Review of - Low Level Waste Repository Ltd

Peer Review of LLWR Response to S9R2LLWR_2008-8-2Version 1Independent Peer Review of: LLWR Response toEnvironment Agency Schedule 9 Requirement 21 Introduction1. The Low-Level Waste Repository (LLWR) has been the principal facilityin the UK for the disposal of Low-Level Radioactive Waste (LLW) since1959. The site is owned by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority(NDA) and is operated on behalf of the NDA by a Site Licence Company(SLC). United Kingdom Nuclear Waste Management (UKNWM) Ltd.holds a contract from the NDA for the management and operation of theLLWR, and shares in the SLC were transferred to UKNWM Ltd. on 1stApril 2008.2. Disposals at the LLWR are authorised by the Environment Agency (EA)under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993. The LLWR receives wastesfrom a range of consignors including nuclear power stations, fuel cyclefacilities, defence establishments, general industry, isotope manufacturingsites, hospitals, universities and from the clean-up of historicallycontaminated sites.3. In 2002, the previous operator of the site, British Nuclear Fuels plc(BNFL), provided the EA with environmental (operational and postclosure)safety cases for the facility (BNFL, 2002a; 2002b). These safetycases were reviewed by the EA (Environment Agency 2005a) and,following a period of consultation, a new authorisation was granted(Environment Agency, 2006a). The authorisation includes severalschedules, of which Schedule 9 is a list of improvements and additionalinformation that the operator must supply.4. Schedule 9 includes Requirement 2, which amongst other things (seebelow) requires, by May 2008, a comprehensive review of national andinternational developments in best practice for minimising the impactsfrom all waste disposals on the site. Requirement 2 is one of several thatmay be seen as important precursors to Requirement 6, which requires anupdate the environmental safety cases by May 2011.5. The SLC has initiated a programme of work – the LLWR LifetimeProgramme – to address the requirements of Schedule 9, and is subjectingthe work of the programme to independent peer review.1.1 Peer Review6. Peer review is a formally documented examination of a technicalprogramme or specific aspect of work by a suitably qualified expert orgroup of experts who have not been directly involved in the programme oraspect of work. The EA has indicated that it expects peer review to beused as one means of building confidence in the environmental safetyTerraSalus Limited 1 2 September 2008