Low Level Waste
Low level waste (LLW) is above the limit for disposal to industrial landfill but below the level at which special precautions such as thick shielding is required.
There are three types of low level waste at Dounreay, solid, liquid and gaseous.
Solid
- includes paper, tissue, wood, metallic items used in radioactive areas to decommissioning materials, rubble, soil and various metal plant equipment items.
- solid LLW is drummed, checked and supercompacted to a fifth of its size in a modern facility called WRACS prior to interim storage.
- planning application lodged with Highland Council in July 2006 for construction of disposal facilities adjacent to the site.
- currently scheduled to commence removing waste from low level waste pits in mid 2019.
Liquid and gaseous
- includes results from routine plant maintenance and ventilation, decommissioning practices and cautionary collections of rain and groundwater.
- DSRL authorised by Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to discharge controlled quantities to sea and air.
- in 2003 SEPA authorised use of new plant LLLETP to collect, treat and dispose of low level liquid effluent from Dounreay and Vulcan.
- impact of discharges measured through environmental monitoring and results published.
