2009 Report to Government on National Research and

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Strategic Co-ordination of UK Radioactive Waste Management R&D 6. CoRWM considers that there is a need for more strategic co-ordination of R&D for the management of higher activity wastes throughout the UK. This strategic co-ordination is required within NDA (including its SLCs), between NDA and other parts of the nuclear industry (including the Ministry of Defence), amongst the Research Councils, and between the nuclear industry, its regula<strong>to</strong>rs and the Research Councils. 7. Within NDA, the need is for more strategic co-ordination of R&D carried out by its SLCs, its Radioactive Waste Management Direc<strong>to</strong>rate (RWMD) and within its Direct Research Portfolio (DRP). It is particularly important <strong>to</strong> co-ordinate RWMD’s R&D for implementation of geological disposal with SLC and DRP R&D for waste conditioning, packaging and s<strong>to</strong>rage and for the management of spent fuels, plu<strong>to</strong>nium and uranium that may be declared <strong>to</strong> be wastes. The lack of such co-ordination would lead <strong>to</strong> a poor use of NDA’s resources (effort, time and money). 8. Between NDA and the nuclear industry there is a need for strategic co-ordination of R&D and agreement on national priorities. As well as enabling better use <strong>to</strong> be made of resources, this would ensure that key issues are tackled in a timely way. 9. Of the five Research Councils that could potentially fund research relevant <strong>to</strong> the management of higher activity radioactive wastes, only two are doing so at present and only one at a substantial level. Research Councils do not seem <strong>to</strong> have recognised the need <strong>to</strong> come <strong>to</strong>gether <strong>to</strong> identify the fundamental research required <strong>to</strong> underpin the MRWS programme. They should work <strong>to</strong>gether in an open and transparent way and involve prospective researchers in all the relevant fields, as well as the nuclear industry and its regula<strong>to</strong>rs. All these stakeholders should agree national priorities for the research <strong>to</strong> be funded by the Councils. This will maximise the benefits of the Research Councils’ resources <strong>to</strong> the MRWS programme. 10. CoRWM does not wish <strong>to</strong> be prescriptive about the co-ordination mechanisms <strong>to</strong> be used in any of these cases. However, it has identified a number of attributes it thinks that the mechanisms should have in all cases. The mechanisms should: • cover the R&D needs of all the relevant UK organisations • be open and transparent • involve researchers, the nuclear industry, its regula<strong>to</strong>rs and other stakeholders • agree national priorities for R&D • encourage innovation • foster collaboration with other countries • ensure R&D is carried out in a timely manner • involve independent national and international review • ensure R&D results are disseminated and acted upon. 11. In CoRWM’s view no single existing body, as presently constituted, is capable of overseeing the necessary strategic co-ordination mechanisms. Either several CoRWM Document 2543, Oc<strong>to</strong>ber <strong>2009</strong> Page 8 of 151
odies would need <strong>to</strong> work <strong>to</strong>gether or an existing body would need <strong>to</strong> be augmented in order <strong>to</strong> fulfil the oversight role. 12. It is essential that future UK R&D programmes for the management of higher activity wastes contain sufficient fundamental research, as well as applied research and development. In deciding which R&D <strong>to</strong> fund and when, account should be taken of the needs of the overall programme for the management of higher activity wastes, the needs for safety case development and the lead times and durations of R&D projects. Recommendation 1 CoRWM recommends <strong>to</strong> <strong>Government</strong> that it ensures that there is strategic coordination of UK R&D for the management of higher activity wastes. Such coordination is required within the NDA, between the NDA and the rest of the nuclear industry, amongst the Research Councils and between the whole of the nuclear industry, its regula<strong>to</strong>rs and the Research Councils. Regula<strong>to</strong>ry Research 13. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has a responsibility <strong>to</strong> ensure that appropriate nuclear safety research programmes are carried out, including nuclear safety research related <strong>to</strong> the management of higher activity waste. It has a well-established mechanism for fulfilling this responsibility. HSE commissions its own research and sets out the research <strong>to</strong>pics that nuclear site licensees should address. 14. The Environment Agency (EA) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) have relatively modest research programmes on <strong>to</strong>pics of regula<strong>to</strong>ry interest in the areas of radioactive waste management and related health and environmental protection issues. CoRWM believes that EA will need <strong>to</strong> commission more independent research as the MRWS programme proceeds in order <strong>to</strong> carry out its role as a regula<strong>to</strong>r of geological disposal of higher activity wastes. CoRWM also expects that SEPA will need <strong>to</strong> commission research <strong>to</strong> assist it in the regulation of the management of higher activity wastes in Scotland. Recommendation 2 CoRWM recommends <strong>to</strong> <strong>Government</strong> that it ensures that the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency obtain the resources that they need <strong>to</strong> access and commission the additional independent research required <strong>to</strong> support them fully in their regulation of the management of higher activity wastes. R&D Skills <strong>to</strong> Support the MRWS Programme 15. The importance of maintaining nuclear skills in the UK was recognised some years ago and steps have been taken <strong>to</strong> reverse the decline that was occurring. In recent years there has been a significant improvement but there is some way <strong>to</strong> go, particularly for R&D skills. 16. CoRWM has found that responsibility for the provision of R&D skills is split between many organisations. Although each organisation is playing its part, there CoRWM Document 2543, Oc<strong>to</strong>ber <strong>2009</strong> Page 9 of 151
Page 1 and 2: Committee on Radioactive Waste Mana
Page 3 and 4: Finland ...........................
Page 5 and 6: Geosphere Characterisation ........
Page 7: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. CoRWM’s remi
Page 11 and 12: disseminate and assimilate its resu
Page 13 and 14: 1.3 CoRWM’s Work Programme for 20
Page 15 and 16: 1.11 The R&D requirements for the l
Page 17 and 18: 2. ESTABLISHING R&D REQUIREMENTS Wh
Page 19 and 20: adioactive waste management facilit
Page 21 and 22: should mitigate the risks of findin
Page 23 and 24: there is no unwarranted repetition
Page 25 and 26: safety case development, the overal
Page 27 and 28: Table 1. Approximate annual levels
Page 29 and 30: Figure 1. Structure of UK R&D provi
Page 31 and 32: NDA R&D for Geological Disposal 3.1
Page 33 and 34: 3.27 The purpose of NNL can be summ
Page 35 and 36: identified the research required an
Page 37 and 38: submitted to RCEP
Page 39 and 40: Box 1. Research Council Funded Univ
Page 41 and 42: 3.62 BGS is conducting three projec
Page 43 and 44: 3.70 In the current FP7 programme (
Page 45 and 46: 3.77 RCEP noted that there was a la
Page 47 and 48: sectors: land disp
Page 49 and 50: eyond those that RWMD intends <stro
Page 51 and 52: Box 2. USDOE 2006 Workshop R&D Issu
Page 53 and 54: 3.111 Fundamental and applied resea
Page 55 and 56: France 3.122 There are six major gr
Page 57 and 58: and in concert with Forpro is desig
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• encourage the transfer and pres
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comparison to othe
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4. R&D SKILLS TO SUPPORT THE MRWS P
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Figure 3. UK Nuclear Skills Map Sou
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ensure the availability of a skille
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which is longer than the competitio
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Box 4. Postgraduate University Prov
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4.30 The NDA also operates a gradua
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for NDA to acquire
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Retention of Skills 4.48 It has bee
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5. INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED FOR R&D
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purchase of equipment. In addition,
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5.23 The Pacific Northwest National
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5.35 The range of possible function
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5.40 Early in 2009
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6. SOME R&D ISSUES 6.1 R&D carried
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interactions, the impact of highly
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7. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
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7.11 CoRWM has found that responsib
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and Appendix A is only intended <st
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Current and Planned R&D for ILW A.5
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wasteform integrity at end of s<str
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Magnox Fuel A.20 Magnox fuel consis
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capability exists in the UK for doi
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purpose-built building. The former
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pending a decision on its long-term
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through all these. The nature of th
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Box 7. Radionuclide Speciation Many
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could mix with the bulk hydrogen ga
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than that for uranium-235. Likewise
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near-field of the part containing t
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• Long-term stability and perform
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few millimetres to
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environment, all with the character
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Number Title 2500 Interim S
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EPSRC, 2009. Grant
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Nuclear Decommissioning Authority,
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Skomurski FN, Ewing RC, Rohl AL, Ga
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Co-location Disposal of “high lev
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Geosphere Solid portion of the eart
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Packaging Placing waste int
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Stillage A metal frame used <strong
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BNGSL British Nuclear Group Sellafi
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FP Framework Programme (of the Euro
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MOX mixed oxide fuel (contains uran
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RS Royal Society RSC Royal Society
Page 151:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Leadership in the
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2009 Report to Government on National Research and

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