A triangular area of land within the Sellafield site covering around 10,000 square metres is known as the Sellafield waste trenches. The site was used in the early 1950's as a disposal area for low level waste and possibly also contains small volumes of intermediate level waste. The area contains six trenches but the precise location and waste volumes were unknown. The challenge was to locate the boundaries of the trenches.

Traditionally, site investigations of this nature have been undertaken using high cost drilling and sampling programmes. The method adopted by NNL used off the shelf ground penetrating radar techniques, which not only identifi ed the trench boundaries but also provided valuable information on the shape, volume and location of wastes that had been placed in the trench. The work carried out by the National Nuclear Laboratory successfully and accurately identified all six trenches. A number were found to be in different places than original plans had indicated. In order to provide further help to the customer, NNL intends to do further work to establish the radiological condition of the trenches. This work will further support the clean up operation.

NNL's solution to this potentially complex challenge was safer, quicker and more cost effective for the customer. The original cost was £6 Million. The National Nuclear Laboratory cost was £200,000.

Commercial Team, 01925 834560