Highly active waste arrives in Japan
The first shipment of highly active waste (HAW) from Sellafield has arrived safely in Japan.
The waste arises from the reprocessing of used nuclear fuel at Sellafield for the NDA’s Japanese customers.
A single 113te flask, containing 28 stainless steel containers of solid HAW, was transported in January from the Sellafield site, on a specially constructed rail wagon, to the port of Barrow-in-Furness.
It was then transferred on to a Pacific Nuclear Transport Ltd (PNTL) vessel the Pacific Sandpiper for Japan.
Mike Johnson, Director of Waste and Effluent Disposition for Sellafield Ltd, said: “This work, known in the UK as Vitrified Residue Returns programme, delivers on the Government’s policy and contractual obligations for return of waste to overseas customers.
“It demonstrates the ability of our workforce to safely prepare and deliver this material for transport, while meeting the most stringent national, international, and customer requirements.”
All of the transports of HAW to Japan will be delivered by International Nuclear Services and its subsidiary, PNTL. PNTL has operated ships that travelled for more than five million miles without any incident involving the release of radioactivity.
In 2007 PNTL completed a programme of 12 similar HAW transports to Japan for the French nuclear industry.
Mark Jervis, Managing Director of INS, said: “The transport by sea is a tried and tested method that is safe and secure, highly regulated and internationally approved.
”Since leaving Barrow on 21st January the Pacific Sandpiper and her crew have performed flawlessly concluding with a safe, on-time delivery to Rokkasho-mura. This voyage builds on our exemplary 40-year record and confirms our position as the world’s leading global shipper of radioactive materials.”
Ian Hudson, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority's Sellafield Programme Director said: "The commencement of this first return of high level waste to overseas customers is a significant milestone in meeting our contractual commitments and delivering on Government policy. The delivery of this programme is a prime example of high quality team working across the NDA estate."
