Regulation of solid radioactive waste disposal facilities: proposed guidance
We want your views on our proposed updates to guidance on the regulation of solid radioactive waste disposal facilities
The Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales (NRW), Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) are the independent environmental regulators of radioactive waste disposal in the UK.
The Environment Agency, NRW and NIEA are consulting on proposals to update the guidance on how they regulate near surface and geological disposal facilities.
The draft guidance documents explain what an operator must show us to obtain an environmental permit or permits for such a radioactive waste disposal facility.
This consultation includes the draft guidance on the requirements for authorisation (GRA) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In Scotland, a similar consultation will be taking place for a GRA with a focus on near-surface disposal facilities only.
The staged regulation guidance only applies in England and explains:
- how we will make permitting decisions
- what a permit holder will have to demonstrate, to comply with the requirements for investigating, developing, operating and closing a geological disposal facility
We want your views on our draft guidance documents to help us finalise and publish them in 2025.