Waste management body says UK should be prepared to spend 拢10bn constructing a secure repository for nuclear waste

A government advisory committee appointed to deal with the problem of the UK鈥檚 nuclear waste has recommended construction of a deep repository estimated to cost 拢10bn.

The Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CORWM) has recommended that government set up a body to identify suitable sites for the repository. In addition, the committee said the UK should build 鈥渞obust interim storage systems.鈥�

The repository is aimed at storing existing nuclear waste and that which will arise from the decommissioning of current nuclear sites. Construction firms already involved in decommissioning are expected to chase work in waste storage.

CORWM chairman professor Gordon MacKerron said: 鈥淭he UK has been creating radioactive waste for 50 years without any clear idea of what to do with it. We are confident that our recommendations provide the way forward. It will, however, take a long time to put in place all the component parts so now it鈥檚 time to get on with the job.鈥�