The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

Wylfa wins top environmental honours

10 September 2009

 

Wylfa has been awarded top UK honours in an environmental award scheme run by the British Safety Council.

The site was awarded five stars after scoring a fantastic 94.5% in the Council's  Five Star Environmental Award Scheme - at the time of the audit, it was the highest score attained by any UK organisation so far this year.

The accolade follows a five-day on-site assessment by auditors who looked at Wylfa's performance on a broad range of issues including greenhouse gas reduction, biodiversity, compliance with environmental legislation and benchmarking.    

The auditors interviewed key personnel and employees, as well as conducting inspections and walk-rounds of the power station and associated infrastructure. Relevant documentation was also reviewed.

Among the specific areas looked at were operations and emissions permits, waste and water discharges, energy efficiency in office spaces, waste management, chemical and fuel storage, effluent management, staff training and awareness initiatives, and resource efficiency.  

Organisations are given ratings – from one to five – to indicate the effectiveness of their environmental sustainability. Leading names in the health and safety industry attended a presentation onboard the HQS Wellington to see Wylfa Site receive the award at the ceremony in August.

Wylfa's Environmental Co-ordinator Steve Riches said:  "We have gained a great deal from the audit, including a number of areas of best practice from outside the nuclear industry which we can implement over coming months to further enhance our Environmental Performance. "This was the first time we had put in for the award, and we are delighted with our success."