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Radioactive Waste

Asked by Mark GarnierConservativeDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled Answered 5 November 2024UIN 11592

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of the use of deep boreholes as an alternative to the Geological Disposal Facility for nuclear waste.

Answered by Michael Shanks

Deep borehole technology is at a developmental stage of technical maturity and has not yet been implemented anywhere in the world. It is possible the technology could play a complementary role in managing some radioactive hazardous waste in the future. However, it would not be suitable for the entire UK radioactive waste inventory for which a geological disposal facility will always be required. Nuclear Waste Services, the developer of the geological disposal facility, continues to review radioactive waste management emerging technologies. It will publish its most recent review in the coming months.

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