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Highly Active Waste returns from Sellafield to overseas customers begins
The programme of returning solid Highly Active Waste (HAW) from Sellafield to overseas customers has commenced.
The waste arises from the reprocessing of those customers’ used nuclear fuel at Sellafield.
A single 113te flask, containing 28 stainless steel containers of solid HAW, has been transported from the Sellafield site, on a specially constructed rail wagon, to the port of Barrow.
It was transferred on to the Pacific Nuclear Transport Ltd (PNTL) vessel the Pacific Sandpiper prior to its departure for Japan. The voyage, which has now commenced, is scheduled to be completed by the end of March 2010.
Mike Johnson, Director of Waste and Effluent Disposition for Sellafield Ltd, said: "This work, known in the UK as Vitrified Residue Returns programme, will deliver on the Government’s policy and contractual obligations for return of waste to overseas customers."
Ian Hudson the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority's Sellafield Programme Director said: "The commencement of this first return of high level waste to overseas customers is a significant milestone in meeting our contractual commitments and delivering on Government policy. The delivery of this programme is a prime example of high quality team working across the NDA estate."
All of the transports of HAW to Japan will be delivered by International Nuclear Services and its subsidiary, PNTL. PNTL has operated ships that travelled for more than five million miles without any incident involving the release of radioactivity.
In 2007 PNTL completed a programme of 12 similar HAW transports to Japan for the French nuclear industry.
Mark Jervis, Managing Director of INS, said: “The waste is being transported by sea which is a tried and tested method that is safe, highly regulated and internationally approved.
"Japan will be the first customer to receive its HAW from the UK. The detailed arrangements for the transport have been put in place through discussions with customer and regulatory bodies in the UK and Japan."
For further information on our UK Radioactive Waste Returns Programme click here.
