Aug 3 2006
Proposals to bury the UK's existing radioactive waste deep underground should be acted on urgently and not delayed by calls for more scientific research said the Royal Society - the UK national academy of science - in a report published Monday 31 July 2006.
The Society published its response to the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management's (CoRWM) draft proposals concerning the management of the UK's radioactive wastes, ahead of the expected publication of the Committee's final findings today.
The Society said that the draft recommendations by CoRWM - an independent committee appointed by the Government - supported the scientific community's consensus that geological disposal is a "feasible and low risk option. " It voiced its concern that CoRWM's recommendation for more research and development into general uncertainties concerning geological disposal, "may appear inconsistent with CoRWM's conclusion that sufficient confidence can already be placed in the long-term safety of [this option]."
Sir David Wallace, vice president of the Royal Society, said: "It is inevitable that a robust and flexible long-term management strategy will require further research, but this must not be used as an excuse to delay the implementation of a disposal programme, including the process of identifying suitable sites.
"The nature of scientific knowledge is such that there will always be levels of uncertainty associated with any method of disposing of radioactive waste. However, there is considerably less uncertainty surrounding burying radioactive waste deep underground in stable geological formations than other options
"It is important that we act with urgency because identifying appropriate sites and then consulting on and building these deep storage facilities will take decades. This time-lag means a long-term management strategy will require an interim storage period, as recommended by CoRWM. "
The Society supports CoRWM's recommendation that an independent body is set up and oversees the staged decision-making process into site selection and beyond. The report says, "Such a body should have a much stronger science and engineering capacity than CoRWM and also have public engagement and education capability."
Sir David said: "The management of radioactive waste is a national issue that will require a continuing need for an open public dialogue. This should form a vital part of the long-term management of radioactive waste as the process moves to selecting sites and beyond."
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