Why geological disposal is necessary
A short new online documentary from the BBC describes why radioactive waste exists in the UK, how it’s being dealt with and the role of nuclear power in the context of global climate change.
Dr Claire Corkhill (courtesy of the BBC)
Made in partnership with the Open University, the film interviews waste specialist Dr Claire Corkhill and other academics, who discuss our existing radioactive waste and the need for a disposal system located deep underground, where the most hazardous wastes would be safe for hundreds of thousands of years while the radioactivity decays naturally.
Dr Claire Corkhill explains what radioactive waste looks like (courtesy of the BBC)
The film looks at Finland’s repository, currently under construction, and uses graphic illustrations to depict a typical underground system similar to RWM’s planned Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) that will feature highly engineered tunnels and vaults.
BBC short feature: Rethink the Future, episode 8, The Nuclear Dilemma BBC
RWM is in the process of search for a suitable UK location, based on seeking consent from a local community together with a site that meets all the stringent criteria.
This is in line with the UK Government’s Implementing Geological Disposal - Working with Communities Policy, which states that a GDF will only be built where there is a suitable site and a willing community. RWM has responsibility for the planning and implementation, and more information can be found here.