Discussion: Packaging and transport

G.A. Burt, CEGB, Bankside House, London

In Paper 2 Professor Matthews drew attention to the large quantities of LLW to be disposed of, ten times the quantity of other wastes. When decommissioning of a nuclear power station takes place it will follow three stages:

Stage 1. Removal of all fuel Stage 2. Removal of rest of plant outside the biological shield Stage 3. Removal of material within the biological shield.

The majority of the waste to be removed in stage 2 will be considered low level waste. The boilers will form a large part of the stage 2 waste, weighing 800 t and being 26' in diameter and 701 long. They have a steel pressure vessel and large bundles of small tubes, and are complicated structures to cut up.