Sellafield Team Clears 70 Tonnes of Nuclear Waste from Silos
In a significant development at the Sellafield nuclear site in Cumbria, 70 tonnes of radioactive waste have been successfully removed from the Magnox Swarf Storage Silos. This operation marks a crucial step towards mitigating hazards associated with nuclear waste storage.
Details of the Waste Removal Operation
The removal project commenced in 2022 after extensive preparations spanning two decades. Historically, when the silos were constructed in the 1960s, there was no established method for waste removal. This oversight has made the current operations particularly challenging.
Innovative Solutions for Waste Management
- Phil Reeve, head of legacy silos at Sellafield, noted that the operation has created a 7-meter (23-foot) crater within the waste pile.
- This crater poses a risk of waste collapsing from the edges into the center.
- To address this challenge, Sellafield has developed a unique 1.4-tonne machine resembling a garden rake.
This innovative device employs stainless steel arms to safely pull the nuclear waste into the center, ensuring stability in the surrounding areas. “It’s a big moment to see it successfully deployed in an active environment for the first time,” remarked Reeve. “It allows us to crack on with confidence.”
Future Work at Sellafield
Since the original design of the silos did not include a waste removal plan, engineers had to retrofit an exit route. This entailed constructing large retrieval machinery atop the building’s 22 waste compartments. Currently, one machine is operational, with two additional units expected to start soon.
Despite the progress, the Sellafield team is faced with approximately 10,000 tonnes of waste still requiring removal. Continued efforts are vital to ensure the site’s safety and the effective management of nuclear waste.
