Radioactive waste

Types of radioactive waste - LLW

Low Level Waste
  • Does not exceed less than 4 GBq/tonne of alpha activity or 12 GBq/tonne of beta/gamma.
  • The major components of operational LLW are metals and organic materials.
    • Metals are mainly in the form of redundant equipment, and organic materials are mainly in the form of discarded protective clothing, paper towels and plastic wrappings. Large amounts of building material and equipment LLW are also produced from the decommissioning of facilities.
  • Light shielding; generally placed in steel drums, which may be compacted and placed in steel freight containers.

Since 1959 most of the UK arisings of solid LLW have been disposed of at Drigg in Cumbria. Wastes at Drigg are conditioned by immobilising the waste in cement.

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Source: Galson Sciences Limited