Friday 2 August 2019

UK radioactive waste management boss to retire

The head of the organisation that is leading work on behalf of the UK Government to safely dispose of radioactive waste is to retire in March 2020.

Bruce McKirdy worked in the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) since 2006 and became the first Managing Director of Radioactive Waste Management (RWM), which was established in 2014.

He led the development of RWM, which provides radioactive waste management solutions and aims to deliver a geological disposal facility (GDF) in the UK.

GDF is internationally recognised as the safest solution for the long term management of radioactive waste and the construction of such a facility supports a new generation of nuclear power stations in the UK.

It is expected to create up to 2,000 jobs and add at least £8 billion to the economy.

Mr McKirdy has overseen RWM’s support for the GDF programme as it progressed from the development of government policy to the early stages of public consultation and delivery over the past year.

He said: “I am provide to have led RWM through this journey so far and of the significant progress we have made towards delivering a safe and long term solution for the management of the UK’s radioactive waste.

“Handing the reins over at this point provides continuity both for the organisation and the delivery of the GDF programme.”