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DTI gives Intermediate level waste substitution the go ahead |
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Following a positive response to its recent consultation the Government has announced that it is to give authorisation for the substitution of High Level Waste (HLW) for Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste (ILW) resulting from the reprocessing of overseas spent fuel. This will entail countries who reprocess their spent fuel in the UK importing small volumes of high level waste generated in UK power stations in return for having their intermediate level waste stay in the UK. This will require less nuclear material being transported in total.
This decision follows a three month public consultation period earlier in the year on an independent study of ILW substitution. Over 90% of the 325 responses received were in favour of substitution.
The benefits of this are both environmental and economic, in particular:
- the earlier return of overseas waste (completed by 2017 with substitution rather than 2033 without)
- a six fold reduction in the number of waste shipments to BNFL's overseas customers
- additional income generated by the NDA from ILW substitution can be used for nuclear clean up which will result in savings for the UK tax payer over the longer term.
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