U.K.’s NWS gets input from young people on geological disposal

Nuclear Waste Services, the radioactive waste management subsidiary of the United Kingdom's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, has reported on its inaugural year of the National Youth Forum on Geological Disposal forum. NWS set up the initiative, in partnership with the environmental consultancy firm ARUP and the not-for-profit organization The Young Foundation, to give young people the chance to share their views on the government's plans to develop a geological disposal facility (GDF) for the safe, secure, and long-term disposal of radioactive waste.

Valuable conversations: In the past year, 12 young people ages 17 to 25 took part in the first forum as it explored the question of what youth know about nuclear waste. "This approach opened valuable conversations about engagement, future-proofing, and contingency planning," according to NWS.

The forum included a range of activities, including an NWS presentation to international stakeholders and a Nuclear Energy Agency webinar on youth engagement in the GDF siting processes.

Shaping development: Ali Beard, the NWS siting and communities project manager who served as the forum leader, said, "It's been a pleasure to support our first Youth Forum. Bringing young people into the project to hear their views and inform our approach is invaluable to us and supports the development and skills of these talented young people. For them to have gone from knowing nothing about geological disposal to being able to present to an international audience of industry professionals is exceptional."

NWS said the reason for the forum was to ensure that younger generations have a voice in decisions that affect them.

Consent-based siting: In England and Wales, the GDF siting process is consent based and requires NWS to identify both a suitable site and a willing community. "A key aspect of the siting process now underway in England and Wales is that a GDF will only be built where we have the consent of a willing community with a suitable site," NWS said.