EXCLUSIVE: Nuclear waste removal project commences at UK's most hazardous building

Summary

The 60-year-old Magnox Swarf Storage Silo at Sellafield is one of the most hazardous buildings in Western Europe, containing unstable nuclear waste. After 15 years of effort, engineers have developed a remotely operated grabber to safely retrieve the waste. The process is slow and will take years due to the vast storage and high radiation levels. The waste will be transported to new facilities designed to house it safely for over a century. The cleanup is a monumental task, with a projected cost of £97 billion over the next 120 years, raising questions about the future of nuclear energy in the UK.

Takeaways

• 😀 The 60-year-old Magnox Swarf Storage Silo at Sellafield is Europe's most hazardous building, leaking unstable nuclear waste.
• 😀 After 15 years of work, a remotely operated grabber has been engineered to manage the nuclear waste in the silo.
• 😀 The waste retrieval process will take years due to the large scale of the storage and the unpredictable nature of the waste.
• 😀 The silo holds both floating waste and highly radioactive sludge, requiring special equipment for safe retrieval.
• 😀 The retrieved waste will be transported to a newly built facility with shielded, drop-proof containers for storage.
• 😀 The new storage vaults are large concrete bunkers capable of holding nearly 3,500 waste boxes, stacked nine high.
• 😀 Once the new storage facility begins operation, no humans will be allowed inside for more than a century due to the radiation levels.
• 😀 The workers involved in the cleanup feel pride in making the country and world safer, despite the challenging and lengthy process.
• 😀 The total cost of cleaning up Sellafield's nuclear waste is projected to be 97 billion pounds over the next 120 years.
• 😀 There are concerns about the trustworthiness of the nuclear industry, especially with the proposal for new nuclear plants in the UK.
• 😀 The UK government is focusing on the importance of decommissioning legacy nuclear facilities and ensuring that future waste disposal is properly managed.

Q & A

Why is the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo considered the greatest concern at the Sellafield nuclear site?

The Magnox Swarf Storage Silo is considered the greatest concern because it is aging and leaking unstable nuclear waste, making it one of the most hazardous buildings in Western Europe.

How long did it take to engineer a solution to deal with the hazardous waste in the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo?

It took 15 years of work to engineer a solution to deal with the hazardous waste in the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo.

What technology is being used to retrieve the waste from the silo?

A remotely operated grabber, assisted and maintained by a robotic arm, is being used to retrieve the waste from the silo.

Why can't humans directly retrieve the waste from the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo?

The levels of radiation behind the lead glass are too high for humans to safely retrieve the waste.

How long is the waste retrieval process expected to take, and why?

The waste retrieval process is expected to take years because the waste store is vast and the retrieval method is akin to a 'lucky dip,' with unpredictable waste to be removed.

What is the purpose of the new facility that has been built at Sellafield?

The new facility at Sellafield is designed to house the majority of Sellafield's radioactive waste, which is transported in shielded, drop-proof containers.

What will happen once the new facility at Sellafield starts receiving nuclear waste?

Once the new facility starts receiving nuclear waste, humans will no longer be able to enter the storage vaults for over a century due to the high levels of radiation.

How are the storage vaults at Sellafield designed to handle nuclear waste?

The storage vaults are concrete bunkers, each large enough to hold nearly 3,500 boxes of waste stacked nine high.

What is the projected cost of cleaning up the legacy of the Sellafield site?

The projected cost of cleaning up the legacy of the Sellafield site is 97 billion pounds over the next 120 years.

Why does the UK government want to build new nuclear plants, despite the challenges posed by Sellafield?

The UK government wants to build new nuclear plants because managing the legacy waste at Sellafield is a critical task, and doing nothing is not an option. There is also an emphasis on demonstrating the capability to manage nuclear facilities and their decommissioning.