Dounreay Radioactive Waste Substitution Consultation: Response Paper

Question 2: Do you agree that substituting cemented Materials Test Reactor radioactive waste for Prototype Fast Reactor radioactive waste should be an available option to finalise the overseas contracts?

Responses

3.1 Most of the respondents answered 'yes' to this question.

3.2 One respondent commented that the proposal was 'sensible and pragmatic', whilst another commented that using substitution rather than building another plant represented better value for the taxpayer.

3.3 Where respondents did not agree with the proposal, this tended to be because they disagreed with the adoption of the policy (see Q1).

Government Response

3.4 Government believes that substituting cemented Materials Test Reactor radioactive waste for Prototype Fast Reactor radioactive waste at Dounreay will allow Dounreay and its overseas customers to reach a suitable agreement that would allow the contracts to be fulfilled, thereby helping decommissioning, clean-up and effective management of radioactive waste at the site. Government has therefore concluded that this form of radioactive waste substitution should be an available option.