Date: 13/06/20071 Sustainable practices relating to decommissioning of concrete structures Presented by Paul Kelly MCIWM Characterisation Land Quality & Clearance

Date: 13/06/20072 Waste Management Hierarchy Waste Management Hierarchy. Established principles and cornerstone of Waste Management Legislation Most preferred option is highest, least preferred option lowest Who has not heard of it?

Date: 13/06/20073 SD:SPUR “SD:SPUR” stands for Site Decommissioning: Sustainable Practices in the Use of Resources. The initiative was developed to establish through dialogue safe, socially, economically and environmentally sustainable practices in the use of resources arising from the decommissioning of nuclear sites.

Date: 13/06/20074 SD:SPUR Guidance document SD:SPUR Guidance Document on Sustainable Practices in the use of construction resources. Published 2005 Still valuable and relevant guidance document Free to download from CIRIA/SD:SPUR website

Date: 13/06/20075 SD:SPUR Guidance Continued. –‘The environment agencies require waste producers and waste disposal organisations…to use ‘best practice’ to ensure that people and the environment are protected and the waste hierarchy is applied during all waste management operations’ –‘The process of what represents ‘best practice’ involves a comparative assessment of different options, often involving a multi-attribute decision assessment approach’. –‘Various types of multi-attribute assessment are possible but the most widely used is the Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO) study’. –Above comments taken from SD:SPUR guidance document Site or Business area

Date: 13/06/20076 Characterisation requirements CLQ&C team can facilitate characterisation requirements to allow further consideration of options identified with regard to material reuse, recycling and, if lack of reuse/recycling options, disposal at appropriate facilities depending upon assessment of materials and results obtained.

Date: 13/06/20077 C&C Plan for Concrete Concrete re-use on Sellafield Site primarily for landscaping purposes. (Calder Cooling Tower basins shown) Other possibilities for re-use exist. Trial undertaken on Sealine concrete covers. Identified/confirmed other uses possible.

Date: 13/06/20078 WRAP Protocol. C&C investigations into Concrete Re-use led to consultation of WRAP Quality Protocol. WRAP – Waste & Resources Action Programme. Quality Protocol for recycled aggregates produced Updated 2008.

Date: 13/06/20079 WRAP Protocol continued. Good quality recycled materials, such as Recycled Concrete Aggregate from Concrete must meet pre- determined standards. Not just any Recycled Concrete Aggregate can be used. Quality Protocol clearly defines requirements.

Date: 13/06/ C&C Progress on Concrete Recycling Most concrete released off-site disposed of via Lawsons Recycling Beckermet. Unsure if working to WRAP Quality Protocol. Resulting Recycled Concrete Aggregate unable to be used in new build projects back on the Sellafield Site if protocol not followed.

Date: 13/06/ C&C Target/Plan Discuss with stakeholders (EA, local councils, supply chain etc.) full adoption of WRAP Protocol. Meet with Sellafield Project Designers/ Specifiers to discuss suitable projects for application of RCA and try! Engage with WRAP for support/advice. Internal standards/procedures will be required.

Date: 13/06/ Current Issues – Storage Storage options for demolition/excavation arisings limited on Sellafield Site. Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers (FIBC’s) used predominantly across site. No defined storage standards.

Date: 13/06/ Review of storage standards. Storage & use of FIBC’s could be improved. Review of storage standards undertaken Identified current industry best practice. Findings to be implemented across site in near future.

Date: 13/06/ Current Industry Guidance BS EN ISO 21898:2005 Packaging – Flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs) for non-dangerous goods. Proposed EA/SEPA/NI EHS & HSE Joint Guidance – Draft Other relevant documents available but none covering storage of radioactive materials in FIBCs.

Date: 13/06/ Findings UN ‘approved’ FIBCs available. Lined/bunded storage area required. FIBCs covered and protected from elements. Labelling requirements identified. Inspection routines to be implemented.

Date: 13/06/ Summary Decommissioning activities at Sellafield to increase dramatically. Can we reuse the material we produce? Infrastructure required – storage, crushing equipment, stockpiles of product & suitable applications. Many opportunities lie ahead.