Our client, Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) have a responsibility to ensure the waste hierarchy (see illustration below) can be implemented by waste owners and have an influence on setting prices for many of the available waste management routes. Eden NE partnered with NSG Environmental to deliver a project to NWS, which has helped to shape Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) Strategy. The project team engaged with regulators, waste owners and those responsible for Integrated Waste Management (IWM) strategy. We recommend a way forward to ensure the waste management pricing approach leads to optimal behaviour for all waste types, particularly focussing on Higher Activity Waste (HAW). We determined the relative influence of price and showed how price could influence behaviour at a site level as well as within NDA and NWS.

In simple business management, the price of an option influences its uptake - cheaper options are generally more attractive. For radioactive waste management however, many factors must be considered to determine the best available technique (BAT) for a waste stream, to ensure relevant regulations are met and to ensure decisions fit with a wider strategy and with national policy. We have significant experience in decision making for radioactive waste – our staff have worked for EA, SEPA, ONR, NDA and RWM as well as being responsible for making waste routing decisions at nuclear licensed sites.

After delivering the initial scope, we were then asked by NWS to deliver further work, which provided clear evidence to enable NWS and NDA to make underpinned strategic decisions.