On Tuesday 19th October, Oxford Student/Young Pugwash hosted an online event on the ‘challenge of UK radioactive waste disposal’.
The speaker was Dr Ian Crossland. Ian is an engineer with over 50 years experience in the nuclear industry, with a focus on decommissioning and radioactive waste management. In recent years, he has worked as an independent consultant for several international organisations, including advising on the ongoing clean up and decommissioning operation at Chernobyl.
What’s was it about?
After more than seventy years’ exploitation of atomic power – first from bomb-making and later from “nuclear electricity” – the UK has large quantities of radioactive waste in storage and plants that, when it’s decommissioned, will add to the stockpile. To prevent this hazardous material from being a burden to future generations, a safe and permanent solution has to be found. Science points to deep geological disposal as the optimum solution but, despite repeated attempts over more than 40 years, all the waste remains on the surface. This talk explains the nature of radioactive waste, the search for a solution and how things currently stand. There will be time for questions at the end of the talk.