Why does data change?

Information about waste and material streams may have changed since the last Inventory.  These changes can be due to a range of technical, commercial or policy reasons.  

Data in the Inventory may change because:

  • Understanding of the waste streams has increased. Some radioactive wastes generated a long time ago lack detailed records, but as these waste streams are characterised, a better understanding is gained. Find out more about how we characterise waste.
  • The national strategy for managing radioactive waste materials has been updated. This may be due to more sustainable or cost-effective waste management techniques becoming available, such as new packaging, treatment or disposal options. These can affect the assumptions used when forecasting future waste arisings.
  • Operational activities have affected the amount of waste in stock. The quantities of waste or materials recorded may change as waste continues to be generated, treated, conditioned and packaged.
  • Baseline scenario assumptions for forecasts have been updated. Given the long period over which arisings are forecast, there are inevitably changes to future estimates, and assumptions about future forecasts and plant operating lifetimes are updated.