UK Radioactive Waste Returns Programme
Overseas used nuclear fuel has been reprocessed in the UK, under contract, to recover and separate the 97% of reusable nuclear materials from the 3% waste.
Since 1976 all UK reprocessing contracts have contained an option for this radioactive waste to be returned to its country of origin and in 1986 HM Government took the decision that this option should be exercised.
The Highly Active Waste will be returned in a solid glass (vitrified) form and the programme of work is known in the UK as the Vitrified Residue Return (VRR) programme. The return programme will mean that Sellafield Ltd is substantially reducing the volume of solid Highly Active Waste stored temporarily in the UK.
Repatriation of this overseas customers' waste is planned to commence in 2009/10 in line with customer requirements and will follow on from the French vitrified residues returns programme, which is now complete.
Overall the UK phase of the programme will return approximately 1,850 containers of vitrified waste. The VRR programme is planned to take around 10 years with at least one return shipment per year. The safe transportation and delivery of the Highly Active Waste to the country of origin is a key priority for Sellafield Ltd.
The return of the waste will be completed in accordance with all regulatory requirements and the relevant UK regulators have been, and will continue to be involved throughout.
