Sellafield

We’re taking waste out of buildings that are as old as the site itself, dealing with the legacy of our nuclear past. We’re looking after fuel so that nuclear power stations can continue to operate, and we’re repackaging the country’s stockpile of nuclear materials.

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Information is presented about wastes that existed at Sellafield at the stock date (1 April 2022) and were forecast to arise after this date.

Waste Inventory Data for Sellafield

For background information about this site owner, please refer to the Site Information Sheets in the 2022 UK Radioactive Waste Inventory report.

The following page presents information about radioactive wastes at the specific site selected.

Information about spent fuel and nuclear materials is presented separately in the relevant 2022 Inventory report. For official figures and essential information about how the data has been produced, always refer to the UKRWI 2022 published reports.

View all 2022 waste stream data sheets for Sellafield

Waste groupings

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Activated metals
Activated other materials
Asbestos & other insulation materials
Concrete & rubble
Conditioned
Contaminated metals
Contaminated other materials
Desiccant & catalysts
Flocs
Fuel cladding & miscellaneous wastes
Fuel element debris
Fuels & uranium residues
Graphite
High level waste
Inorganic ion exchange materials
Miscellaneous contaminated materials
Mixed wastes
Oils & other fluids
Organic ion exchange materials
Plutonium contaminated materials
Raffinate
Sludges
Soil
Uranium & thorium contaminated material
Total
stored
waste
Future
arising
waste
Lifetime
packaged
waste

Waste categories

Showing results for data originating from Sellafield.

Waste category Volume (m3)
Reported at 1 April 2022 Estimated future arisings Lifetime Total
HLW 1,990 -320 1,670
ILW 75,700 68,600 144,000
LLW 3,350 458,000 461,000
VLLW 0 2,690,000 2,690,000
Total 81,000 3,220,000 3,300,000
Waste category Volume (m3)
Reported at 1 April 2022 Estimated future arisings Lifetime Total
HLW 1,120 12 1,130
ILW 98,900 161,000 260,000
LLW 851 251,000 252,000
VLLW 0 2,560,000 2,560,000
Total 101,000 2,970,000 3,070,000
Waste category Volume (m3)
Reported at 1 April 2022 Estimated future arisings Lifetime Total
HLW 1,460 15 1,470
ILW 132,000 203,000 335,000
LLW 908 255,000 256,000
VLLW 0 2,560,000 2,560,000
Total 134,000 3,020,000 3,150,000

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From 1 April 2022 there is a net decrease in the volume of HLW because accumulated highly active liquor is being conditioned, which reduces its volume by about two-thirds, and also because vitrified HLW is being exported to overseas customers.

Forecast waste arisings

Location

Site Owner

NDA