WP 2 Appendix 6 Public and Stakeholders Engagement in the Decision-processes of the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM)

The activities of the UK Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM) were identified by WP2 stakeholders as of particular interest in the context of exploring the scope for local actors’ influence on a major national decision making process. Thus, they agreed to focus on this Committee as one of the case studies. The final rejection of a planning application by Nirex to develop a rock characterization facility at Sellafield in 1997 signalled the requirement for a comprehensive review of national policy relating to the management of long-lived and high-activity radioactive wastes in the United Kingdom. In 2001 the UK Government started the Managing Radioactive Waste Safely Programme (MRWS) to develop UK policy. This ultimately led to the appointment in 2003, by the national Government and the devolved authorities of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland of the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM). The role of CoRWM was to provide an independent review of strategic options for the long-term management of such wastes and to recommend an option, or combination of options, that will satisfy requirements for protection of people and the environment which had public confidence. The deadline set for CoRWM to submit its recommendations was July 2006.