Regulation of solid radioactive waste disposal facilities: proposed guidance
Detail of outcome
The Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) have completed the consultation on proposals to update the guidance on how they regulate near surface and geological disposal facilities.
We will carefully consider all the relevant information received during consultation, together with existing information.
As a result of the points raised our guidance may be amended.
We aim to publish our new guidance in 2026 on GOV.UK.
Feedback received
Detail of feedback received
This document includes responses received to the consultation on our draft guidance.
We received 77 responses from a wide range of stakeholders.
We have published the responses exactly as received. We have not changed any text, other than the removal of personal information. The views expressed are those of the responding individual or organisation.
Our consideration of the main themes from the responses received and what we have done to address them will be included in a document published alongside our updated guidance.
Where points raised lie outside our responsibilities, we will pass a copy of the consultation response to the appropriate organisation for their consideration. Personal details will not be shared with external organisations.
Original consultation
Consultation description
The Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales (NRW), Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) are the independent environmental regulators of radioactive waste disposal in the UK.
The Environment Agency, NRW and NIEA are consulting on proposals to update the guidance on how they regulate near surface and geological disposal facilities.
The draft guidance documents explain what an operator must show us to obtain an environmental permit or permits for such a radioactive waste disposal facility.
This consultation includes the draft guidance on the requirements for authorisation (GRA) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In Scotland, a similar consultation will be taking place for a GRA with a focus on near-surface disposal facilities only.
The staged regulation guidance only applies in England and explains:
- how we will make permitting decisions
- what a permit holder will have to demonstrate, to comply with the requirements for investigating, developing, operating and closing a geological disposal facility
We want your views on our draft guidance documents to help us finalise and publish them in 2025.