Framework for a Radioactive Waste Quality Checking Service

The Environment Agency is looking to issue a tender for the provision of Waste Quality Checking Services for Radioactive Wastes. The contract will provide the Environment Agency and other bodies, with the capability to undertake, independent verification and assurance activities of lower activity radioactive wastes prior to their treatment or disposal. This checking will take place at sites throughout England, Wales and Scotland. Such radioactive wastes predominantly comprise Low Level Radioactive Waste but may also include short-lived Intermediate Level Wastes that form part of radioactive waste consignments appropriate for management in near-surface environments. The contract will also be open for use by Natural Resources Wales (NRW), the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA),Defra and its associated bodies. The service provision should be suitable to give assurance to the Environment Agencies' regulatory staff that radioactive wastes originating from nuclear sites have been characterised and consigned appropriately. The assurance service will be used to support regulatory activities related to compliance with the relevant radioactive substances activity permissions (e.g. permits or authorisations). Work would be targeted on a risk basis, to include consideration of new treatment and disposal routes, and seeking to check radioactive wastes arising from across all nuclear sites over a given period. In addition the work may include checking of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) wastes being received for treatment or disposal at permitted sites. Assurance activities will include: in-situ monitoring of individual items, drums or ISO containers of waste to assess the radioactivity content; seizing items of radioactive waste and drums (small quantities) for independent analysis for radioactivity (including transport to and from analytical facilities); auditing site operators' procedures and operations for the consignment or receipt of radioactive wastes for treatment and disposal; audit and review the assurance approaches established by waste consignees', including the Low Level Waste Repository (LLWR) operator, relating to any radioactive waste management services they obtain under contract; storing and utilising existing reference materials (including drums and packages) for testing of site operators' own monitoring systems and, potentially, the design and creation of new reference materials. The Supplier may also be called up on to provide technical advice, training and represent the Environment Agency at relevant meetings - nationally and internationally.