By necessity, ISIS operations generate between 100 and 200 tonnes of radioactive waste every year, due to the type of research conducted at the facility. It is mostly metal – various components, magnets, and shielding, for instance - and the vast majority is low activity waste.
The team were able to boost recycling rates by working closely with regulators to implement the UK Government's 2023 policy on radioactive waste management, which introduced a risk-based approach to managing and disposing of such waste. That means that most of the radioactive waste from ISIS can be treated to separate out radioactive components and stored safely in dedicated facilities on site until the radiation levels have fallen, then sent for recycling.
Over the remaining life of ISIS the team expect this new approach to save 51,600 tonnes of CO2e compared to using new metal.
