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Radioactive waste 'to be buried' Radioactive waste 'to be buried'
(about 1 hour later)
Britain is to bury its radioactive waste, Environment Secretary David Miliband has told the House of Commons.Britain is to bury its radioactive waste, Environment Secretary David Miliband has told the House of Commons.
Disposal sites would only be built "in a geologically suitable area" and take account of social considerations. Disposal sites would only be built "in a geologically suitable area" and no community would be forced take one.
There have been decades of debate on the best way to store waste - now held in various forms on several sites. There have been decades of debate on storing waste long term - it could take 40 years to build a repository.
Local councils are to be invited to volunteer to have a nuclear dump in their area. Those chosen will benefit from multi-million pound investment.Local councils are to be invited to volunteer to have a nuclear dump in their area. Those chosen will benefit from multi-million pound investment.
Mr Miliband said they would work in partnership with local authorities which volunteered to house sites - as recommended by the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management. Mr Miliband said they would work in partnership with local authorities which volunteered to house sites - as recommended by the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CORWM).
See how radioactive waste might be buried See how radioactive waste might be buried
"We have made it clear that we are not seeking to impose radioactive waste on any community," he told MPs."We have made it clear that we are not seeking to impose radioactive waste on any community," he told MPs.
He added: "Governments of all parties have struggled to develop a long term approach to this issue... I believe my statement today combines scientific rigour and clear accountability."
The process is likely to take a long time - some predict that constructing a multi-billion pound repository could take 40 years.The process is likely to take a long time - some predict that constructing a multi-billion pound repository could take 40 years.
Mr Miliband said the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, accountable to independent regulators and the government, would be responsible for the process. Countries such as France, Germany, Japan, Sweden and the US are also adopting "geological disposal" for radioactive waste, he said.
But shadow environment secretary Peter Ainsworth said there was a potential conflict of interest in giving responsibility to an authority which owns nuclear facilities. Like it or not, it is there and it has to be dealt with Peter AinsworthShadow environment secretary
The Committee on Radioactive Waste Management, appointed by the government, recommended burying radioactive waste deep underground as the best option. Mr Miliband said the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, accountable to independent regulators, would be responsible for the process - not radioactive waste management group Nirex.
Its report, published in July, said waste would need to be buried at least 500m (1,640ft) below the surface. The NDA is responsible for "civil legacy" and "low level" radioactive waste and it wants one body to be responsible for all, he said.
But it recognised that public resistance would be an obstacle - as it had in proposals for deep disposal in the 1980s, which were abandoned. Shadow environment secretary Peter Ainsworth said there was a potential conflict of interest in giving responsibility to an authority which owns nuclear facilities.
"We believe there must be a willingness on the part of communities to participate," said committee member Andrew Blowers in April. But he said he welcomed the fact the government was following CORWM's advice as there was an urgent need to find a long-term solution to historic nuclear waste.
"Like it or not, it is there and it has to be dealt with," he said.
But Chris Huhne, for the Lib Dems, said Mr Miliband had "failed to give a copper-bottomed guarantee that communities would not ultimately have nuclear waste sites imposed on them".
The Committee on Radioactive Waste Management report, published in July, said waste would need to be buried at least 500m (1,640ft) below the surface.
But it recognised that public resistance would be an obstacle - as it had in proposals for deep disposal in the 1980s, which were abandoned, and urged the government to seek "public willingness".
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