A deep geological disposal facility for spent nuclear fuel and other highly radioactive waste is not expected to be ready in the UK until the 2050s, but a shallower disposal facility could be available within 10 years allowing for quicker decommissioning which will save around £500m (€584m, $634m) in storage costs, the government has said.
It said the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), a government body, will explore using a facility closer to the surface – up to 200 metres below ground – for less hazardous radioactive waste as part of an updated policy for handling nuclear waste and radioactive substances.
Other changes will encourage innovation in waste treatment techniques – from greater recycling to research into extracting radioisotopes from nuclear materials for use in diagnosis and treatment of cancers, with the option of disposal made the last resort.