Additional Documents
The Reason for Having Them
A number of respondents sought additional information and clarification on issues raised some of which were already addressed in part in the Supplimentary Information document. In response to those requests the Scottish Government has now prepared separate documents drawing on information accross the documents supplemented and updated by additional information received since those documents were published in January 2010.
These documents illustrate that the Scottish Government Policy reflects existing practice in other countries, in some cases near-surface facilities have been operating for many years. They will be published separately here on the Scottish Government website. The intention is that they will be individual documents which can be revised and updated more easily. This will enable them to reflect more timely any changes in facts or technological advances to inform the next stages of this process, particularly the Implementation Strategy outlined in the main Higher Activity Radioactive Waste Policy.
The links below will take you to the relevant section further down this page.
Guide to Radiation and Radioactivity
Higher Activity Radioactive Waste in Scotland
Legislative and Regulatory Framework for the Management of Radioactive Waste
Treatment Options for Radioactive Waste
International Examples of Near-Surface Facilities
Glossary of Terms
Additional Documents Explained and Links to Them
Guide to Radioactivity and Radioactive Waste
The purpose of this document is to provide some general information on radioactivity and radioactive waste and to explain some of the terms that are used in discussing radioactivity and radioactive waste issues. It is intended for those who may not be familiar with these terms to help explain what we are talking about.
It is not intended to be a fully comprehensive, technical explanation of radioactivity and radioactive waste as there are already many sources of information on this subject that can be referred to.
Full document is available here
Higher Activity Radioactive Waste in Scotland
The purpose of this document is to provide information on the higher activity radioactive waste in Scotland. The information given in this document is based on the 2007 UK Radioactive Waste Inventory (UKRWI) which is a document that is updated every three years. The current version (2007) is available at www.nda.gov.uk/ukinventory. The 2010 UK Radioactive Waste Inventory is due to be published in early 2011.
The Radioactive Waste Inventory provides the latest national record of information on radioactive wastes in the United Kingdom. The inventory contains information on the quantities, types and characteristics of wastes. The inventory is updated periodically with the best available information.
A small amount of information has been updated at the request of some Site License Companies (SLCs) to reflect more current data based on alternative waste management approaches being adopted, revised waste forecast arisings and earlier reactor decommissioning timescales.
Full document is available here
Legislative and Regulatory Framework
The purpose of this document is to provide an outline of the legislative and regulatory framework in Scotland for the management of higher activity radioactive waste.
Full document is available here
Treatment Options for Radioactive Waste
The purpose of this document is to give an overview of some of the treatment options that are available or being developed for the treatment of higher activity radioactive waste in the UK and elsewhere. It is not intended to be a comprehensive review of treatment options available.
In considering treatment options for the management of higher activity radioactive waste, the Waste Hierarchy should be applied. The Waste Hierarchy requires all waste producers to consider waste management with regard to prevention, minimisation, preparation for re use, recycling and other recovery with disposal as the final option.
Full document is available here
International Near Surface Facilities
Near-surface disposal of higher activity radioactive waste is an established method of managing radioactive waste in other countries in Europe and elsewhere in the world.
Near-surface disposal facilities vary in their design ranging from surface based facilities, shallow trenches, and sub-surface structures accessed by tunnels.
The purpose of this document is to give examples of some near-surface disposal facilities for higher activity radioactive waste that are used elsewhere. It is not intended to be a comprehensive review of near-surface disposal facilities.
Four examples are given of near-surface facilities that have been operating for some time. There are many others in different stages of development throughout the world and web links to some of these are given at the end of the document.
Each facility is different. They reflect the circumstances within each country, the geographic location of each facility and the nature of the waste that is put into the facility.
Full document is available here
Retrievability and Reversiblity
The purpose of this document is to provide an outline of the issues of retrievability and reversibility in relation to the management of higher activity radioactive waste.
Full document is available here
The purpose of this document is to provide an explanation of some of the terms used in discussing radioactivity and radioactive waste issues.
Full document is available here