FAQs

16. How would a geological disposal facility stop radioactivity returning to the surface?

The Government says that the geological disposal facility would be designed to use both natural barriers (the geology) and man-made barriers (the waste container, materials placed around the container etc) to ensure that no harmful quantities of radioactivity ever reach the surface environment. The safety of any facility is a key issue that the Partnership will be looking into as part of this process and will also be assessed by regulators such as the Environment Agency.

To find out more information about geological disposal visit the Department of Energy and Climate Change's website.

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