International Nuclear Services

VRR programme set to commence in 2009/10

For over 30 years, overseas used nuclear fuel has been reprocessed in the UK, under contract at Sellafield, to separate and recover the reusable nuclear materials from the waste.

Since 1976 all UK reprocessing contracts have contained an option for this radioactive waste to be returned to its country of origin. In 1986 HM Government took the decision that this option should be exercised.

The contracts to return the high level waste to Japanese and European customers now sit with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA). The programme of work to transport canisters of vitrified (solid glass) waste to customers is known in the UK as the Vitrified Residue Returns (VRR) programme, which is planned to commence in 2009/10.

For more information please access the NDA website on www.nda.gov.uk/news/vvrprogramme.cfm

International Nuclear Services (INS) is a wholly owned subsidiary company of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.