Public asked about plans to bury radioactive waste

Demolition work is underway at the Winfrith nuclear site in Dorset, which stopped operating in 1992

The public have been asked whether radioactive waste should be left behind after the decommissioning of a nuclear site.

Nuclear Restoration Services Ltd (NRS), which runs the Winfrith nuclear site in Dorset, wants to flatten the buildings and return it to publicly accessible heathland.

It has asked the Environment Agency (EA) for permission to bury some of the demolition waste, part of which will emit a low level of radiation.

Before it makes a decision, the EA has asked for the public to share their views on the request in a consultation, which ends on 5 September.

The NRS is following the EA's Guidance on Requirements for Release from Radioactive Substances Regulation.

The site was active between 1959 and 1992 and some of its underground floors and walls have a low level of radioactive contamination.

Some of the waste that will be used to fill the sub-surface structure will also be low-level radioactive waste.

The company said it would not be importing any waste to site from other locations.

It has applied to change its Radioactive Substances Regulations environmental permit, which would give it permission to bury the radioactive materials.

It has also applied for Deposit for Recovery Environmental Permit, which would allow it to bury non-radioactive waste.

Sally Coble, EA nuclear regulation group south manager, said: "We will only vary the radioactive substances permit if we believe that harm to the environment, people and wildlife will be minimised.

"If the applicant can demonstrate that the varied permit will meet all of the legal requirements, including those for the use of Best Available Techniques, public radiation dose and wildlife radiation dose, then we are legally obliged to grant the application."