Consultation on managing radioactive substances and nuclear decommissioning

Views sought on UK-wide policy proposals for managing radioactive substances and nuclear decommissioning

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) have launched a consultation on proposals to update and consolidate the policies of the United Kingdom government and devolved administrations on managing radioactive substances and nuclear decommissioning into a single UK-wide policy framework.

The proposals aim to create clearer more consistent policy objectives across the UK and facilitate speedier and more cost-effective decommissioning and radioactive waste management, whilst maintaining high standards of safety, security and environmental protection.

The proposals focus on three areas:

• managing solid radioactive waste
• updating the policy for nuclear decommissioning
• managing nuclear materials and spent nuclear fuel

The consultation is in two parts.

• Part 1 sets out policies being proposed to amend aimed primarily at driving improvements in nuclear decommissioning and managing radioactive waste.
• Part 2 is a draft of the proposed UK-wide policy framework as it would appear if the policy changes being consulted on in Part 1 were implemented.

Find out more about the consultation and how to respond.

First published 7 March 2023