Independent Monitoring of Solid Low Level Radioactive Waste Disposals in the UK

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. R. Daish ◽  
N. A. Leech
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Non Destructive Testing ◽  
Destructive Testing ◽  
Low Level ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Environment Agency ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Non Destructive ◽  
Low Level Radioactive Waste

The independent monitoring of solid low level radioactive waste (LLW) in the United Kingdom is undertaken by NNC Limited on behalf of The Environment Agency to ensure that disposals are within the authorised limits. Waste consignments are seized by the Agency prior to disposal and are transported to the Waste Quality Checking Laboratory (WQCL) at Winfrith, where the contents are analysed and assessed by destructive and non-destructive testing. All work performed at the laboratory is qualified by a Quality Assurance System which has been accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). This paper outlines the regulatory framework for control of LLW disposals in the UK and describes the techniques used at WQCL for radioactive waste assessment.

Independent Quality Checking of UK Low Level Radioactive Waste for Plutonium Using the SCK•CEN Hexagon 2000 Passive Neutron Coincidence Counter

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. May ◽  
R. Strange ◽  
M. Bruggeman ◽  
W. De Boeck
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Background Signal ◽  
Coincidence Counting ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Cosmic Ray Interactions ◽  
Coincidence Counter ◽  
Environment Agency ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Low Level Radioactive Waste

Checking low level wastes requires the detection of sub-milligram levels of plutonium. This is an extreme challenge for passive neutron coincidence counting as the levels of true signal are close to the background signal caused by cosmic ray interactions. The origin of cosmic-induced background is discussed. We describe the Hexagon 2000 passive neutron coincidence counter that has been designed and built for waste quality checking of low-level radioactive waste in the UK for the Environment Agency. The instrument uses computed neutron coincidence counting and improved filtering of high multiplicity cosmic-induced events. The instrument also correlates background signal with atmospheric pressure to further increase sensitivity. Preliminary measurements of background data and of test drums containing small amounts of plutonium are described.

The Role of the National Low Level Waste Repository Operator in Delivering New Solutions for the Management of Low Level Wastes in the UK

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Walkingshaw
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Alternative Treatment ◽  
Parent Body ◽  
Low Level ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Waste Repository ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Village ◽  
Low Level Radioactive Waste

The UK National Low Level Waste Repository (LLWR) is located near to the village of Drigg in West Cumbria. It is the principal site for disposal of solid Low Level Radioactive Waste (LLW) in the United Kingdom. This paper describes the program of work currently being undertaken by the site’s operators, (LLW Repository Ltd and its newly appointed Parent Body Organisation), to extend the life of the LLWR and reduce the overall cost of LLW management to the UK taxpayer. The current focus of this program is to prevent disposal capacity being taken up at LLWR by waste types which lend themselves to alternative treatment and/or disposition routes. The chosen approach enables consignors to segregate LLW at source into formats which allow further treatment for volume reduction or, (for wastes with lower levels of activity), consignment in the future to alternative disposal facilities. Segregated waste services are incorporated into LLW Disposal commercial agreements between the LLWR operator and waste consignors.

The Decontamination of Lead Shielding Blocks for Unrestricted Re-Use or Re-Cycle

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Ensor ◽  
Michael Calloway ◽  
Trevor N. Chambers ◽  
Alec J. Inns ◽  
David J. Partridge
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Small Proportion ◽  
Atomic Energy ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Remote Handling ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Lead Shielding ◽  
Low Level Radioactive Waste

Abstract Since 1997, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and NNC Ltd. have embarked on the decommissioning and demolition of a redundant metallurgical facility at Harwell. The metallurgical suite comprised three concrete-shielded remote handling cells and 36 lead-shielded enclosures, with associated support and electron microscopy facilities. The decommissioning work carried out by NNC entails the dismantling of the 36 lead enclosures, which were expected to yield over 1000 tonnes of lead shielding blocks as waste. The decommissioning project is nearing completion, with only two large enclosures remaining to dismantle. This paper describes the management and technical processes utilised in the treatment of the lead blocks, in order to re-use or re-cycle the lead materials as far as reasonably practicable. In processing 700 tonnes of lead block arisings from the decommissioning of this facility so far, NNC and UKAEA have segregated over 400 tonnes of uncontaminated lead and decontaminated approximately 250 tonnes of lead for unrestricted re-use or for recycling, after smelting. Much of this material would otherwise have been consigned as low level radioactive waste. Secondary low level radioactive wastes arising from the decontamination process have amounted to approximately 15 m3 to date, of which only a small proportion of the arisings are lead shavings.

scholarly journals Financing Political Parties in France, Germany and The United Kingdom

2016 ◽  
pp. 91-110
Author(s):  
Jan Misiuna
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Political Parties ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Financial Information ◽  
Public Access ◽  
Final Conclusion ◽  
Election Campaigns ◽  
Low Level ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Uk

The paper compares the systems of financing political parties in France, Germany and the UK. The analysis concentrates on effectiveness of collecting contributions, dependency on large donors for providing funds for financing election campaigns and daily operation of political parties, and the level of transparency of finances of political parties. The final conclusion is that only introducing limits on expenditures on election campaigns allows to keep the costs of election campaigns and political parties at a low level, while mandatory common accounting standards and public access to financial information is necessary to preserve transparency of finances of political parties.

The Management of Historic Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste in the United Kingdom

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Horsley ◽  
Bruce McKirdy
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
Storage Conditions ◽  
Intermediate Level ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Environmentally Sound ◽  
Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste ◽  
The Uk

Nirex is the organisation responsible for long-term radioactive waste management in the UK. Our Mission is to provide the UK with safe, environmentally sound and publicly acceptable options for the long-term management of radioactive materials. The United Kingdom has a significant legacy of long-lived intermediate level radioactive waste. This has arisen from 50 years of investigation and exploitation of nuclear technology. Some of the waste is stored in old facilities that do not provide the standards of containment that would be incorporated in modern facilities. Also the risk to people and to the environment from the inventory in these facilities will increase with time as the structures age and degrade, increasing the chance of containment failure. There is, therefore, a need to retrieve this raw waste and process and package it to make it demonstrably safe for continued storage, pending a decision on disposal of radioactive waste. This packaging should, as far as is practicable, be compatible with the UK long-term waste management strategy. Nirex has developed its Phased Disposal Concept for intermediate and low-level radioactive waste. Based on that concept, Nirex has developed waste package specifications and carries out assessments of waste packaging proposals. For legacy wastes it may not always practicable to demonstrate full compliance with all Nirex disposal criteria. This paper describes an approach, agreed between Nirex and BNFL, for managing these wastes. The proposed approach takes account of long-term waste management issues whilst recognising the need for timely improvement of storage conditions.

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