Press release - 09 Jun 2009

SITA UK launches Endecom UK Ltd to manage and dispose of low and very low level radioactive waste

A new company has been set up to dispose of low and very low level radioactive waste arising from nuclear establishments in west Cumbria.

Endecom UK Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the leading national recycling and waste management company SITA UK, will provide a professional disposal facility in line with the Government’s strategy launched last week aimed at relieving pressure on the Low Level Waste Repository, near Drigg, Cumbria.

The new company has secured agreement on the purchase of the 70 hectare (173 acres) former opencast coal mine at Keekle Head, five miles inland from Whitehaven, and is examining the potential to use the derelict site for the disposal of low and very low level radioactive construction and demolition waste, mainly generated within west Cumbria.

Development Manager Phil Holland said: “I can confirm that Endecom and our parent company SITA UK, have agreed, subject to planning approval, purchase arrangements for the site.

“Over the last year, we have held discussions with a range of west Cumbria organisations about the potential for disposing of low and very low level radioactive waste in a new disposal facility on the Keekle Head site.

“In line with the new proposed national strategy announced only last week by the Government and Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), we are proposing an alternative solution for disposing of materials classed as low and very low level radioactive waste, including construction waste created as part of the decommissioning process at Sellafield.

“We believe that these categories of waste can be safely disposed of at Keekle Head, where mining on the site has created a substantial void which can be filled and needs to be restored. The scheme being pulled together would include early high quality restoration of substantial parts of the site and, following completion of landfilling, final restoration as heath and woodland.

“The new company has been formed to bring together the available expertise from SITA UK and to position Endecom as the company of choice to meet the challenges presented by the national waste strategy and this derelict site, which in its present state is a blot on the local landscape.

“In order to be as open and transparent as possible, we are announcing the formation of this new enterprise, which we envisage will quickly become a part of the established family of businesses actively engaged in decommissioning activity in west Cumbria and beyond.

“We have already applied for planning permission to begin investigative borehole tests on the site to determine geological formation and hydrogeological information. Subject to these tests providing positive results, Endecom will start the process of applying for full planning approval to create a state of the art disposal facility at Keekle Head.

“I anticipate that Endecom will submit a formal planning application for the Keekle Head Waste Mangement Centre around the turn of the year and, in advance of that we will consult widely with everybody involved to make sure that they understand our proposal and have an opportunity to influence it. This will include talking and listening to local people, political representatives, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Environment Agency and many others.”