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SAFEGROUNDS

SAFety and Environmental Guidance for the Remediation of UK Nuclear and Defence Sites

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SAFEGROUNDS: background

• During 1998 the network begun as increased openness was emerging in the nuclear sector

• Industry committees were discussing difficulties in estimating and managing the liabilities posed by contaminated land on nuclear sites

• Need identified for best practice guidance• CIRIA was invited to share its long experience of

developing consensus-based guidance production• Preparation of Site Characterisation guidance in 2000

using trail-blazing stakeholder events convened by the Environment Council

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Purpose of Presentation

• provides awareness of SAFEGROUNDS

• gives overview of guidance documents

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SAFEGROUNDS mission:

'A forum for developing and disseminating good practice guidance on the management of radioactively and chemically contaminated land on nuclear and defence sites in the UK.'

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SAFEGROUNDS aims:

• Maintain and promote SAFEGROUNDS guidance

• Provide a forum for debate and encourage stakeholder participation

• Provide information on policy, regulatory and technical issues

• Develop further SAFEGROUNDS supporting documents

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SAFEGROUNDS Learning Network

• reflects the need for broader debate

• oversees good practice guidance preparation

• helps drive its implementation

• raises awareness and guidance take-up

• annual programme of activities built around the mission and aims

• e-newsletter three times a yearwww.safegrounds.com

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SAFEGROUNDS Network Members

• non-governmental organisations • regulators and other Government agencies• nuclear liability owners including NDA• MoD including Defence Estates• nuclear site licensees• community based organisations • contractors and consultants • local authorities • campaign groups • independent academics, researchers and analysts

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SAFEGROUNDS Project Steering Group members

•AWE•British Energy•Defence Estates•Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd•Environment Agency•Gloucester City Council•Health & Safety Executive•Health Protection Agency•Low Level Radiation Campaign•Magnox North Ltd•Magnox South Ltd

•National Nuclear Laboratory•North Highland College•Nuclear Decommissioning Authority•Oxfordshire County Council•Parents Concerned About Hinkley•Research Sites Restoration Ltd•Sellafield Ltd•Scottish Environment Protection Agency•Scottish Executive•Sellafield Ltd•UK Nuclear Free Local Authorities•University of Warwick

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SAFEGROUNDS Key Principles

• five key principles for the management of all contaminated land on nuclear and defence sites

• integral part of the SAFEGROUNDS guidance documents

• established through a consultative process • they are non-overlapping and complementary • they should be applied together, and form a

central part of the SAFEGROUNDS ethos

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SAFEGROUNDS: Key Principle 1

Protection of people and the environment

The fundamental objective of managing contaminated land on nuclear-licensed

sites and defence sites should be to achieve a high level of protection of people

and the environment, now and in the future.

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SAFEGROUNDS: Key Principle 2

Stakeholder involvement

Site owners/operators should involve stakeholders in the management of

contaminated land, particularly to inform decision-making.

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SAFEGROUNDS: Key Principle 3

Identifying the preferred land management option

Site owners/operators should identify their preferred management option (or options) for contaminated land

by carrying out a comprehensive, systematic and consultative assessment of all possible options. The

assessment should be based on a range of factors that are of concern to stakeholders, including health, safety and environmental impacts and various technical, social

and financial factors.

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SAFEGROUNDS: Key Principle 4

Immediate action

Site owners/operators should assess both potential and known areas of land contamination

and where appropriate implement a prioritised programme of investigation and any appropriate

monitoring. On confirmation of areas of land contamination being present, control measures

should be instigated until an appropriate management option has been identified and

implemented.

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SAFEGROUNDS: Key Principle 5

Record-keeping

Site owners/operators should make comprehensive records of the nature and extent of contamination, the process of deciding on the management option for the contaminated land and the findings during the implementation and validation of the option. All records should be

kept and updated as necessary.

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SAFEGROUNDS

GUIDANCE

www.safegrounds.com

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Hierarchy of guidance documents Approach to Managing Contaminated Land on

Nuclear-licensed and Defence Sites – An Introduction

Good Practice Guidance for the Management of Contaminated Land on Nuclear-licensed and Defence Sites

Good Practice Guidance for Site Characterisation

Guide to the Comparison of Contaminated Land Management Options

Good Practice Guidance for Land Quality Records Management for Nuclear-licensed and Defence Sites

Regulatory Framework Paper

UNDER REVIEW : Stakeholder Involvement

UNDER REVIEW : Assessment of Health and Environmental Risks

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“SAFEGROUNDS Approach to Managing Contaminated Land

on Nuclear-Licensed and Defence Sites – An

Introduction”

AUDIENCE – all stakeholders

New for 2009

Top level document

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“An Introduction” document - Scope

• Non-technical

• Introduction to principles and process

• Stakeholder involvement

• Involvement opportunities

• Contacts and information

• Glossary and acronyms

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SAFEGROUNDS

LAND MANAGEMENT GUIDANCE

Version 2, 2009

AUDIENCE: primarily decision-making stakeholders

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Land Management Guidance (LMG)

This guidance sets out an approach and process for land quality management on nuclear-licensed sites where legacy radioactive, and/or mixed radioactive and non-radioactive contamination is present, and those defence sites on which there is legacy radioactive contamination and/or mixed radioactive and non-radioactive contamination.

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LMG: Status

The guidance represents good practice in accordance with regulatory requirements,

but does not in itself ensure regulatory compliance. It is not binding on site owners/operators and has no legal standing. Site specific requirements

should always be discussed and negotiated with the appropriate regulators.

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LMG: Scope

– Part 1 - introduction, scope, structure and definitions.

– Part 2 - expands on SAFEGROUNDS Key Principles

– Part 3 contains an overview of the process of managing contaminated land and further guidance on specific areas of the process related to the Decision Flow Diagram.

– Part 4 contains a list of references, and a glossary, including a key to acronyms.

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Summary Decision Flow Diagram

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SAFEGROUNDS

Good Practice Guidance for Site Characterisation

Version 2, Updated 2009

AUDIENCE: primarily technical

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Good Practice Guidance for Site Characterisation – Scope 1

• types and characteristics of contaminated land commonly encountered

• key health, safety, security and environment issues in site investigations

• reasons and aims for carrying out investigation of potentially contaminated land

• good practice planning of site investigations for a systematic approach

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Good Practice Guidance for Site Characterisation – Scope 2

• available site characterisation methods• issues associated with radioactive waste arising

from characterisation, and the transport of radioactive samples

• how stakeholders should be involved at the various stages of characterisation work;

• how site characterisation works should be recorded

• signposts and references to other relevant documentation

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SAFEGROUNDSGuide to the Comparison

of Contaminated Land Management Options

New for 2009

AUDIENCE: primarily technical

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Guide to the Comparison of Contaminated Land Management Options - Scope

• Introduction

• Guidelines

• Methods

• Selecting a method

• Appendix of examples

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SAFEGROUNDSGood Practice Guidance for

Land Quality Records Management for Nuclear-

licensed and Defence Sites

First issued 2007

AUDIENCE: primarily technical

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Guidance for Land Quality Records Management - Scope

• why it is important that land quality information should be recorded (drivers, existing initiatives,

regulatory requirements and site owner requirements)• what land quality information should be

recorded and in what form (introduction of Land

Quality File)• how a record keeping system should be set up

and maintained (management, organisation, active

records in physical or electronic form, archiving, GIS)

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SAFEGROUNDSThe Regulatory Framework for

Contaminated Land on Nuclear-licensed Sites & Defence Sites

Updated 2007 (v5) & 2009 (v6)

AUDIENCE: all stakeholders

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Regulatory Framework Paper v5

• sites included• summary of regulatory regimes, including

devolved administrations• definitions of radioactively and non-

radioactively contaminated land• management of contaminated land under

the different regulatory regimes for different types of site

• Possible future developments

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SAFEGROUNDS

Community Stakeholder Involvement Paper

First issued 2005, UNDER REVIEW

AUDIENCE: all stakeholders

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SAFEGROUNDSAssessment of Health & Environmental Risks of

Management Options for Contaminated Land

First issued 2005, UNDER REVIEW

AUDIENCE: all stakeholders

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SAFEGROUNDS

SAFety and Environmental Guidance for the Remediation of UK Nuclear and Defence Sites

www.safegrounds.com