News story: CoRWM responds to consultations on geological disposal

Consultation responses

3 consultations relating to key pieces of policy regarding the geological disposal of radioactive waste in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland were launched on 25 January 2018 and closed on 20 April 2018. The Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM) has now published its responses to these consultations on the gov.uk website.

The 3 policy documents and CoRWM’s responses are as follows:

• Working with communities: implementing geological disposal from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland. CoRWM’s response.

• Geological disposal of radioactive waste, the Welsh Government equivalent to ‘Working with communities: implementing geological disposal’. CoRWM’s response.

• National policy statement for geological disposal infrastructure, a framework for the Secretary of State and the Planning Inspectorate to consider applications on development consent for geological disposal infrastructure in England – produced by BEIS. CoRWM’s response.

Background

The 2014 white paper Implementing Geological Disposal set out the actions and roadmap for development of these policy documents.

CoRWM developed its responses through:

• subgroup meetings.
• members’ attendance at 7 consultation workshops held by BEIS
• correspondence within the committee.

CoRWM finalised its response at a plenary meeting in March.