Open consultation: National Policy Statement for geological disposal infrastructure
The purpose of this consultation is to gather views on whether the draft National Policy Statement (NPS) for Geological Disposal Infrastructure (GDF) provides an appropriate and effective framework for the Planning Inspectorate and the Secretary of State to examine and make decisions on development consent applications for geological disposal infrastructure in England.
National Policy Statements set out the need for particular Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs), and are required, under the Planning Act 2008, to undergo a period of public consultation before they are published.
This consultation applies to residents of England and Northern Ireland. If you live in Wales, the Welsh Government will be issuing a separate consultation on the 8 November. Both consultations are open for responses from outside the areas to which they relate.
Notice: NN11 4NS, Pedigree Power LLP: environmental permit application advertisement
The Environment Agency consults the public on certain applications for waste operations, mining waste operations, installations, water discharge and groundwater activities. The arrangements are explained in its Public Participation Statement
These notices explain:
what the application is about
how you can view the application documents
when you need to comment by
The Environment Agency will decide:
whether to grant or refuse the application
what conditions to include in the permit (if granted)
The Environment Agency consults the public on certain applications for waste operations, mining waste operations, installations, water discharge and groundwater activities. The arrangements are explained in its Public Participation Statement
These notices explain:
what the application is about
how you can view the application documents
when you need to comment by
The Environment Agency will decide:
whether to grant or refuse the application
what conditions to include in the permit (if granted)
Guidance: Gwaredu daearegol
Mae technoleg niwclear wedi bod yn rhan o’n bywydau am dros 60 o flynyddoedd, ac mae’n cael ei ddefnyddio i gynhyrchu pŵer, ym maes diwydiant, meddygaeth ac amddiffyn. Erbyn heddiw, mae ynni niwclear yn darparu bron i un rhan o bump o holl drydan y DU. Mae’r gweithgareddau yma wedi creu gwastraff ymbelydrol y mae angen i ni ei reoli yn ddiogel.
Mewn Cyfleuster Gwaredu Daearegol (GDF) bydd y gwastraff yn cael ei roi gannoedd o fetrau o dan y ddaear. Cydnabyddir yn rhyngwladol mai GDF yw’r datrysiad hirdymor mwyaf diogel; bydd cael un yn y DU yn creu swyddi a buddsoddiad gwarantedig i’r gymuned dan sylw.
Detailed guide: The UK’s nuclear history
Our nuclear legacy
The United Kingdom is a pioneer of nuclear technologies and opened the world’s first commercial nuclear power station in 1956, at Calder Hall near Sellafield in Cumbria. Nuclear power has delivered great benefits: it has supported national defence, generated electricity for more than 60 years and our country remains a world-leading nuclear enterprise.
Today the UK is faced with the challenge of cleaning up the legacy of its early nuclear operations – a large-scale programme undertaken by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA). This includes delivering innovative solutions for managing radioactive waste that meet today’s safety standards and will protect us into the distant future.
Why we use nuclear energy today
UK Government policy is to have a wide mix of energy supplies, so we use nuclear alongside other energy sources, such as gas and solar. Today, nuclear energy generates around one fifth of the country’s electricity, and under current government proposals that include Hinkley Point C, some of our power will come from nuclear sources in the future.
There are important reasons why nuclear is part of the mix:
it’s a low carbon choice that supports the UK’s climate change goals: nuclear power stations generate electricity without emitting greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane
nuclear power plants produce electricity 24 hours a day, whatever the weather
nuclear power plants don’t require a daily supply of new fuel to operate, unlike gas, coal and biomass plants
Where else does radioactive waste come from?
Besides nuclear power generation, radioactive waste comes from:
Medical – in particular, radioactive materials are used to sterilise equipment, and help diagnose and treat medical illnesses.
Industry – for example, gamma rays are used to test the quality of welds or the thickness of products, such as paper.
Defence – includes the operation of active nuclear-powered submarines and the decommissioning of retired submarines.
Research and development – from nuclear fusion technology to developing new radiotherapy treatments to testing novel solid materials for encapsulating liquid radioactive wastes.
The radioactive waste resulting from power generation, medicine, defence and other industries needs to be managed carefully. Existing waste is currently stored above ground at more than 30 sites around the UK. These surface stores can be safe for many decades, but require continuous protection to keep them secure and in good condition, as the waste remains radioactive for hundreds of thousands of years.
Nuclear sites in the UK
There is international consensus that geological disposal is the safest and most secure way to manage higher activity waste for the long term, and that a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) will ensure that the responsibility of continually protecting this waste is not passed on to future generations.
Source and management of radioactive waste
Science file
For further information about radioactive waste, read our science file What is radioactive waste?
(PDF, 1.03MB, 4 pages)
