Public consultation on possible geological disposal of radioactive waste in West Cumbria
Overview
A major public consultation has been launched to give people a chance to air their views on whether West Cumbria should participate in the Government’s search to find somewhere to put a deep underground repository for higher-activity radioactive waste.
The West Cumbria Managing Radioactive Waste Safely (MRWS)
Partnership is running the consultation until March 23 next year.
The Partnership, which involves a wide range of local organisations, was set up to help Allerdale Borough Council, Copeland Borough Council and Cumbria County Council decide whether or not the area should take part in the Government’s search for a site.
Although there would still be a right to withdraw from this process during the search for a possible site, the decision that needs to be made now is an important one.
The full consultation document, an Overview leaflet and a DVD are available on the Partnership’s website www.westcumbriamrws.org.ukor email contact@westcumbriamrws.org.uk.
Higher-activity waste is currently stored above ground, the majority of it at Sellafield.
Geological disposal is based on the idea that radiation can be contained for extremely long periods by a combination of engineered underground structures and the surrounding rocks.
A repository would be located between 200 and 1,000 metres underground. The underground facilities could be anywhere between approximately one and four times the size of the Sellafield site.
It is estimated that the surface facilities would be around 1km2 and they could be either above the underground facilities or up to 10km away, possibly further.
The Partnership has spent more than two years looking at a wide range of issues, including bringing in independent experts and commissioning research.
It has reached initial views on a number of issues. For example on safety, it says that ‘On the basis of the information available now we believe the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and the regulators have suitable capability and processes in place to protect local residents, the workforce and the environment’.
However, it says further monitoring and independent review would be needed as plans are developed.
On geology, the Partnership says ‘In the absence of clear, detailed evidence showing that all of West Cumbria should be ruled out, our initial opinion is that there is enough possibly suitable land to make further investigations worthwhile’.
The Partnership has also considered issues such as the possible negative and positive impacts of a repository and what additional community benefits there could be.
The consultation document sets out much more detail and comes with a response form for you to give your views.
There will be a series of series of community events in January and February where people can find out more..
The Partnership will review all the feedback it receives before finalising a report to the Councils.
If there is a decision to take part in the search for somewhere to put a repository the Councils would have the right to withdraw from the process up until the point where any construction starts and they would make their decisions based on recommendations from a new community partnership.
