Wedoany.com Report-Dec.22, The UK Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) recently announced that its team at Sellafield has successfully processed plutonium residues into a stable waste form for the first time within the relevant facilities at the nuclear site.

The processed material is now in a condition suitable for transport to a Geological Disposal Facility for final disposal. David Peattie, Group Chief Executive of the NDA, stated: "This first UK milestone demonstrates the professional capability of the NDA group, and special recognition must go to the Sellafield team, whose innovation and specialist skills have made this achievement possible." He also noted that the overall plutonium management programme will span decades, and the successful processing of this first canister represents a significant step.

This achievement marks important progress in a long-term programme initiated at the Sellafield site, which aims to process approximately 400 canisters of historic plutonium residues generated from processes such as fuel manufacture. The processing technology is based on modifications to an existing plant that has been operating safely on the site since the mid-1980s, to enhance processing efficiency.

Euan Hutton, Chief Executive of Sellafield Ltd, said: "Turning the world's largest stockpile of this type of material into a safe waste form and disposing of it will be a major task for us over the coming decades. We have a professional team with unique skills who have adapted the process to handle material that has never been processed before." He emphasised that the team's professionalism and innovative spirit were key to making progress.

In January 2025, the UK government authorised the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to be responsible for the immobilisation of all the UK's civil separated plutonium stocks. This work required the design and validation of an innovative technology to convert plutonium into a stable waste form for permanent disposal. The UK government has committed £154 million over five years to support the programme, which is expected to create around 100 jobs.