What is the Submarine Dismantling Project going to do?
The ultimate aim of the Submarine Dismantling Project is to safely dispose of 27 defuelled submarines.
There will be three main parts to this work:
- 1. Initial Dismantling: Any radioactive material on the submarine will be removed. This is mainly metalwork in the reactor compartment that has become radioactive during use.
- 2. Interim Storage: The intermediate level radioactive waste will be placed into ‘interim’ storage until a suitable geological disposal facility is available. The geological disposal facility is not expected to be available until at least 2040, so we know that interim storage is likely to be required for some time.
- 3. Ship-breaking: The submarine hull, with all the radioactive material removed, will be broken up and recycled where possible. This would be similar to the way in which Royal Navy ships are already broken up.
The project will also include transporting the waste from the interim storage site to the national waste storage facility, and for decommissioning and disposing of any facilities that are developed for the project.
Will there be any increased risk to my health?
No. We have absolutely no reason to believe there will be any increased health risk from Submarine Dismantling Project activities.
Will it be safe?
Yes. We will not compromise the safety of either local residents or the workers. Nuclear work is always carried out to the highest standards of safety and is subject to stringent regulation from the Health and Safety Executive.
How might submarines be dismantled?
The Initial Dismantling stage involves removing all the radioactive parts of the submarine so that what remains is a submarine hull that is non-radioactive. The radioactive materials are contained almost entirely within the reactor compartment and there are two main ways we could deal with them:
- 1. Leave the reactor compartment where it is, and dismantle the radioactive components within it. These would then be cut down in size where required, and packed into suitable containers that would be acceptable for the planned national waste storagefacility. Until that store becomes available, the containers would need to be stored at an interim storage site. This approach is often referred to as ‘cut up’.
- 2. Cut out the entire reactor compartment, which would mean taking a “slice” from the centre section of the submarine’s body. The reactor compartment would then serve as the interim storage container, and the compartments would be kept safely at an interim storage site. The reactor compartment would be too big to fit into the planned national waste storage facility, so it would still need to be cut up at a later date and the radioactive parts packaged in suitable containers. This approach is often referred to as ‘cut out’.
Having removed all the radioactive parts of the submarine and having ensured that no radioactive contamination remains, the second stage of dismantling would use conventional ship-breaking techniques to dismantle the submarine into its component parts.
What waste will arise from submarine dismantling?
The radioactive waste falls into two official categories based on the level of radioactivity: Low Level Radioactive Waste and Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste (ILW). Our current estimates for the quantity of ILW arising are in the region of less than 100 tonnes per submarine.
The submarines contain a large amount of recyclable materials including high grade steels, copper from cabling, other metal alloys and semi-precious metals. They also contain non-radioactive hazardous wastes such as asbestos and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
Where will the waste go?
A national disposal facility for Low Level Radioactive Waste exists near Drigg in West Cumbria. In 2008 the Government published its “Managing Radioactive Waste Safely” (MRWS) White Paper which accepted the principle recommendations of the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM) for geological disposal of higher activity radioactive wastes. The future development of such a disposal facility would be based on a system of voluntarism and partnership with communities interested in hosting it. No site for a geological disposal facility has yet been identified and it is likely to be around two to three decades from the beginning of the site selection process to a facility becoming operational. Until this time, all Intermediate Level Waste generated by any process must be stored within purpose built interim stores.
The disposal of non-radioactive hazardous wastes will be subject to very stringent UK laws. Licenses and permissions for safe disposal will need to be obtained before any wastes are disposed of, and the best available techniques for treating the wastes will have to be used.
Established disposal methods already exist for all types of waste that submarine dismantling will produce, apart from ILW.
We will recycle as much of the non-hazardous materials as possible, such as valuable high-grade steel from the ship’s hull.
How long will it take to dismantle a submarine?
It is likely to be about 12 months for each submarine. We will only know this for certain, though, when we have completed more planning work.
Which submarines will Submarine Dismantling Project be dismantling?
Where will the Submarine Dismantling Project work be carried out?
The main sites for Submarine Dismantling Project work will be for Initial Dismantling and Interim Storage.
We have not yet made decisions about any of these sites, and MOD Ministers have made a commitment that we will only make these decisions after we have carried out public consultation.
If you don’t store the waste where you dismantle, how will you transport it? Is it safe?
The transport of all materials resulting from Submarine Dismantling will be via the most appropriate route, whether road, rail, sea / waterway or any other feasible links. The best form of transport will be largely determined by the form of the waste and by the physical characteristics and transport links of the dismantling and storage sites.
Any waste that is transported will be subject to stringent regulation to ensure it is managed safely.
How can local communities be involved in the public consultation process?
The public consultation is expected be launched in 2010 and events will be held throughout the UK, particularly in those areas where there are potential sites for Submarine Dismantling Project activities. There will be a variety of ways that local residents at the sites in scope can get involved. Public Consultation events will be advertised in the local media and through direct mailings to local residents. People will also be able to find out more and feed back their views via this website.
What will you do with my views?
All responses submitted as part of the public consultation, whether through local events, national events or the website, will be collated and considered by the MOD before any major decisions are made. We will publish a report that summarises the views that we receive, and our responses to them.
What does a Strategic Environmental Assessment involve?
A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) assesses the potential environmental, social and economic effects of the Submarine Dismantling Project options. It is a process that is defined in law.
We will be seeking views on the SEA as part of the public consultation.
For further information relating to the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive: » click here