Clifton Marsh landfill site
SITA UK submitted an application to the Environment Agency on 02 November 2009 for a Radioactive Substances Act (RSA) disposal authorisation at its Clifton Marsh landfill site, 10 km west of Preston.
Background
The Clifton Marsh landfill site has been accepting Low Level and Very Low Level Waste (LLW and VLLW) for disposal since 1986, under authorisations held by the waste producers.
Recently, the Environment Agency - the national regulator - has changed its policy and in future waste site operators, like SITA UK, wishing to dispose of VLLW and LLW will need their own disposal authorisations.
These wastes will typically comprise building rubble, soils and steel items such as framework, pipework and reinforcement materials from the dismantling, demolition and clean up of facilities at nuclear sites. Other components include contaminated equipment and protective clothing from facilities where they handle radioactive materials, and wastes. Small volumes of materials may come from laboratories and hospitals, which also produce radioactive wastes.
Proposals
In addition to continuing to accept VLLW and LLW from its existing customers, SITA UK is proposing to seek authorisation to accept VLLW and LLW from a broader range of waste producers.
These disposals are strictly controlled on site where they follow a rigorous disposal procedure. The process is also fully regulated and stringently monitored by the Environment Agency.
The site will also continue to accept a wide range of other general waste types including household and commercial materials. This general household and commercial waste will continue to make up over 90 per cent of the waste disposed of at the site.
The main source of the low activity wastes at Clifton Marsh is the nearby Springfields Fuels complex, which employs nearly 2,000 people. A small volume of waste also arrives from the Capenhurst site in Cheshire. The majority of these wastes come from operations at these sites, which manufacture fuel for nuclear power stations. In recent years, wastes from decommissioning redundant facilities on these sites have also been disposed of at Clifton Marsh.
In future, SITA UK is proposing to dispose of VLLW and LLW materials from a wider range of nuclear facilities, principally in the north west.
The site does not and will not accept any intermediate or high level radioactive wastes or liquid waste of any kind.
