Taking the UK’s National LLW Progamme From Strategy Development to Implementation

In 2008 UK Nuclear Waste Management Ltd (UKNWM) became the Parent Body Organisation (PBO) at the Low Level Waste Repository (LLWR) in the UK. LLWR is the primary disposal facility for the UK’s LLW, supporting a wide range of industries across the nuclear power generation, reprocessing, defence, healthcare, education, and oil and gas sectors. One of the key tasks following the appointment of the new PBO was to work with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) to develop a national strategy for LLW generated in the UK, predominantly in the NDA estate. The new National Strategy for LLW was required to address the gap between the forecast waste arisings and predicted capacity at LLWR. The National Strategy for LLW Management was published in August 2010 following an 18 month development period. The main focus of the strategy is on three areas: • Application of the waste management hierarchy to extend the life of LLWR and ensure waste is managed in a risk-based, fit-for-purpose manner; • Making best use of existing assets such as transport, packaging, treatment and disposal facilities; • Opening up new fit-for-purpose waste management routes to divert waste away from LLWR. Developing a robust strategy is vital to provide strategic direction to Government, waste producers, regulators, and stakeholders. Once the strategy is developed and approved, the key challenge is then to implement the strategy on a national scale in an efficient and cost-effective manner that delivers maximum value for money to the UK taxpayer. As well as developing the strategy, LLWR has been actively working to develop the enablers to implement the strategy. Since the publication of the strategy in August 2010 LLWR has been re-organised to reflect the shift in focus, from strategy development to implementation and delivery of the strategy. New resources have been brought in with international waste management experience to help integrate delivery with waste producers. This paper covers the changes in focus required from developing the strategy to how this is implemented. This includes the development of metal recycling, incineration, VLLW disposal, characterisation, packaging transport services. These services have been developed to allow the key aims in the strategy to be achieved, and the cultural changes that both LLWR and the customers have had to adapt to, as well as future developments in waste services.