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People in two areas of Wales are to be consulted over plans to bury the UK's stockpile of the most dangerous radioactive waste at a new site.

The meetings are being held as the UK Government searches for a site where it can bury the lethal waste that has been accumulating from nuclear power stations over the last 60 years.

Government-run Radioactive Waste Management (RWM) meeting is holding an event in Swansea on Tuesday, March 12, and a second in Llandudno on March 14.

No details of any potential sites have been made public and it is understood that the body is seeking "a willing host community" where radioactive waste can be buried hundreds of metres underground.

There are also consultations in eight parts of England and a website set up to inform the public .

The Welsh Government said it supported the principle of finding a long-term solution for the most dangerous radioactive waste through burying it but would only support such a site being in Wales if a community was willing to host it.

Radioactive Waste Management (RWM) is a subsidiary of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and is looking for a site for a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF).

The government's website describes such a facility as a "major infrastructure project that provide a permanent solution to the legacy of higher-activity waste that has been accumulating in the UK for over 60 years".

It goes on to say, "no sites have been selected or are under consideration".

The government has carried out a survey to determine which areas have the "geological potential to host a GDF".

The waste is currently stored in 20 sites around the country in specially-engineered containers but this is not seen as a long-term solution.

It is expected that the process of selecting an underground site and going through the planning and construction process will take decades with any chosen site first receiving waste in the 2040s.

The government website says that communities willing to take part on the consultation will receive £1m a year initially and up to £2.5m a year if boreholes are drilled.

What is a geological disposal facility? The Government's website says that in such a facility, radioactive waste is buried under so much rock that no radioactivity can escape. Finland, Sweden, Canada and the USA are looking at similar means of dealing with the most dangerous radioactive waste. The website says: "A Geological Disposal Facility will be a highly engineered structure consisting of multiple barriers that will provide protection over hundreds of thousands of years. "These barriers ensure geological waste is disposed of safely and include: converting liquid waste to a solid through a process of “vitrification”

packaging solid waste in purpose-built stainless steel, iron or concrete containers

constructing engineered features, such as vaults and tunnels that are backfilled and sealed, in the facility that will contain the waste packages

isolating waste inside a suitable, stable rock."

Gower MP Tonia Antoniazzi was furious that Welsh politicians had not been told about the consultation.

She said she believed Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns should have briefed all the MPs and AMs concerned over the issue.

Ms Antoniazzi said: “What is absolutely disgusting is that no Welsh Assembly members knew of these meetings or the MPs.

“Why is the Secretary of State for Wales not contacting us on these issues?

“We should have been consulted before going public on the dates.

“Why are we not being told about the dumping of nuclear?”

Consultation events are also being held in Cambridge, London, Birmingham, Manchester, Penrith, Cheltenham, Exeter and Darlington between Thursday, February 7, and Thursday, March 7.

Ms Antoniazzi said there should have been a cross-party briefing for all MPs.

Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart said he was concerned about the situation and wished to find out more.

Mr Stewart added: “I have checked and to my knowledge no one has been made aware of this within Swansea Council.

“We are obviously concerned and keen to understand what the proposal is.”

Carolyn Harris, MP for Swansea East, said the first she had heard of the meeting was when she was informed by Wales Online.

She said: “I am knew nothing at all about it.

“I am very concerned, hopefully I and other colleagues will determine what is happening - it’s a matter of urgency.”

Meanwhile, Councillor Gareth Jones, the leader of Conwy Borough Council, said the first they had heard about the Llandudno meeting after a query was lodged by the Evening Post/Wales Online to the authority.

A Conwy Borough Council spokeswoman said: “The council leader wasn’t aware of the Radioactive Waste event taking place in Llandudno.

“We’ve found the details online and will circulate to colleagues and members.”

(Image: South Wales Evening Post)

Lesley Griffiths, Welsh Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, said such a facility will only go ahead in Wales if a community is willing to host it.

She said: “The Welsh Government has adopted a policy of supporting geological disposal for the long-term management of higher activity radioactive waste(HAW)since 2015.

"A GDF provides a permanent solution to the long-term management of HAW, rather than leaving the responsibility to future generations.

“Geological disposal has been adopted around the world as the best and safest option for the long-term management of HAW and aligns with the advice of the independent expert Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM).

“However this, of course, does not necessarily mean a GDF will be built in Wales. The Welsh Government has not identified any potential sites or communities to host a GDF in Wales nor will it do so. Our policy is very clear, a GDF can only be sited in Wales if a community is willing to host it.

“The programme to deliver a single GDF for the HAW from Wales, England and Northern Ireland is funded by the UK government and will be delivered by Radioactive Waste Management Ltd (RWM), a subsidiary of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

“Here is an outline of the steps included in the policy, before a GDF could be considered a possibility in Wales:

“Interested parties must seek discussions with RWM about hosting a GDF.

“If the interested party wanted to pursue their interest then they would need to enter into formal discussions and a Community Partnership would be formed to represent the wider community.

“These discussions could last for up to twenty years, during which time the Community Partnership could withdraw from the process at any time.

“Before a final decision about siting a GDF is taken, a test of public support in a potential host community would be required.

“A GDF in Wales would require planning permission, a safety and security permit from the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) and the relevant environmental permits from Natural Resources Wales.”

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She added: “Communities engaged in discussions about potentially hosting a GDF will be eligible for Community Investment Funding of up to £1m a year, increasing to a maximum of £2.5 million a year if deep boreholes are drilled.

"The GDF will be a multi-billion-pound infrastructure investment and will provide skilled jobs and benefits to the community that hosts it for more than 100 years.

“Alongside the policy paper, I am also publishing today the responses to our consultation on this policy along with the WG response to the key issues raised.

“In light of the responses to the consultation, the finalised policy includes a strengthened role for local authorities (LAs), which requires their involvement in discussions in order for any community council areas within their boundaries to be considered as potential locations for a GDF.

“The UK government published their equivalent policy for England on 19 December 2018. It is consistent with the Welsh Government’s policy on key issues such as the Right to Withdrawal and the Test of Public Support but differs in that our policy reflects the needs and interests of communities in Wales (e.g. in relation to the language, the way local authorities are structured and the Welsh planning system).”

A Welsh Government spokesman added: “The Welsh Government has developed a geological disposal policy but this does not mean a geological disposal facility (GDF) will be built in Wales.

“The Welsh Government has not identified any potential sites or communities willing to host such a facility in Wales and nor will it do so.

“A GDF can only be sited in Wales if a community is willing to host it.”

It is understood the location of the regional events do not indicate the likely location of the GDF or discussions over siting at any locations and they were chosen to offer people the chance to take part in the discussions.

No sites have been chosen or locations have been decided upon it emerged last night.

A Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Radioactive Waste Management spokeswoman said it was not a matter for them because it was a devolved issue.

A UK Government spokesperson said: “The upcoming meetings have been arranged by Radioactive Waste Management and are designed to enable people from across Wales and England to participate in discussions about how sites will be evaluated in the future for radioactive waste disposal.

“The locations of the meetings are not reflective of where the possible sites may be and are instead geographically spread to ensure that people from all over the country have the chance to discuss the site evaluation consultation. Radioactive Waste Management are engaging with elected representatives ahead of each of the meetings.”