The Environment Agency (EA) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop and strengthen their working relationship on the regulation of safety and the environment on nuclear licensed sites.
HSE is responsible for regulating nuclear safety, including the safe management, conditioning and storage of radioactive waste on nuclear licensed sites. The EA is responsible for regulating discharges to the environment and the disposal of radioactive waste on or from licensed sites.
The government's recent Financial, Management and Policy Review of the EA reviewed nuclear regulatory arrangements and concluded that there should be a move towards a single nuclear regulator. It recognised that both HSE and EA were making a very real effort to minimise any operational problems.
Recent examples of this strong working relationship include:
• Joint investigations and audits on nuclear sites.
• Cooperation during the review of the of the discharge authorisations for Sellafield, and on the future management of historical wastes stored on the site.
• Very successful workshops with the nuclear industry on regulatory interactions.
• Coordination of guidance on radwaste management.
• Sharing of future business plans and strategies
