HAW containers transferred to store
Following the successful transportation of the first highly active waste (HAW) containers to Japan, final inspections have successfully been completed and the waste transferred to the Rokkasho-Mura storage facility.
Mike Johnson, Director of Waste and Effluent Disposition for Sellafield Ltd said: “After many years of hard work this is great news and provides a platform for future highly active waste returns. We know that we can safely make and deliver canisters of HAW to exacting standards that pass tests in the UK and Japan.
“This demonstrates the capability developed by Sellafield Ltd and International Nuclear Services to support the HAW repatriation programme over the next ten years.”
The first Japanese shipment consisted of a single 113 tonne flask containing 28 stainless steel containers of HAW which was transported earlier this year from the Sellafield site. We are now working closely with our customers to set dates for future shipments of waste to Japan and to other European customers.
Mark Jervis, Managing Director, INS said: “Returning this waste to overseas customers fulfils contractual obligations and also UK government policy, which states that the waste from reprocessing should be returned to the country of origin.
“All of the transports of HAW to Japan will be delivered by INS and its subsidiary, Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited. PNTL has operated ships that travelled for more than five million miles without any incident involving the release of radioactivity.”
HAW arises from the reprocessing of used nuclear fuel at Sellafield for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.
The returns programme will greatly reduce the quantity of this type of foreign waste stored at Sellafield.
