Innovation Wins AMEC Important Waste Contracts

AMEC has won contracts to sample, analyse and advise on waste at three nuclear sites owned by British Nuclear Group's Magnox business in the UK.

Work has begun at the three reactor sites, which are undergoing decommissioning, at Bradwell in Essex, Trawsfynydd in North Wales and Hunterston A in Scotland with AMEC conducting detailed sampling and analysis of radioactive sludges contained in silos and waste contaminated oils.

"These are strategically very important contracts for us with Magnox," said Dr.Mike Smith, Manager of Technology Services in AMEC, which will undertake the work.

"The unique skills within AMEC's nuclear business mean we can undertake the full programme of work in-house, from sampling radioactive waste on site, radiochemical characterisation in our laboratories, right through to trials to establish the most cost-effective waste encapsulation solutions. Competition for this work was fierce and we are delighted to have been successful."

The contracts, the values of which are not being disclosed, will run for around six months, and Mike added that this is just part of a bigger programme to deal with the wastes which have been built up over the lifetime of the reactors.

"For Trawsfynydd we have developed an innovative approach to sorting and characterising radioactive contaminated gas circulator oils, which reduces the amount of sampling and analysis required and hence greatly reduces the overall disposal costs. We believe this innovative and practical approach to this waste issue gave us the edge over the competition."

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Posted 31/05/07

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