Sellafield

We’re taking waste out of buildings that are as old as the site itself, dealing with the legacy of our nuclear past. We’re looking after fuel so that nuclear power stations can continue to operate, and we’re repackaging the country’s stockpile of nuclear materials.

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Site Owner

Information is presented about wastes that existed at Sellafield at the stock date (1 April 2025) and were forecast to arise after this date.

For background information about this site owner, please refer to the Site Information Sheets in the 2025 UK Radioactive Waste Inventory report.

The following page presents information about radioactive wastes at the specific site selected.

Information about spent fuel and nuclear materials is presented separately in the relevant 2025 Inventory report. For official figures and essential information about how the data has been produced, always refer to the UKRWI 2025 published reports.

View all 2025 waste stream data sheets for Sellafield

Waste groupings

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Activated metals
Activated other materials
Asbestos & other insulation materials
Concrete & rubble
Conditioned
Contaminated metals
Contaminated other materials
Desiccant & catalysts
Flocs
Fuel cladding & miscellaneous wastes
Fuel element debris
Fuels & uranium residues
Graphite
High level waste
Inorganic ion exchange materials
Miscellaneous contaminated materials
Mixed wastes
Oils & other fluids
Organic ion exchange materials
Plutonium contaminated materials
Raffinate
Sludges
Soil
Uranium & thorium contaminated material
Total
stored
waste
Future
arising
waste
Lifetime
packaged
waste

Waste categories

Showing results for data originating from Sellafield.

Waste category Volume (m3)
Reported at 1 April 2025 Reported future arisings Lifetime Total
HLW 1,960 -814(1) 1,150
ILW(3) 76,200 139,000 215,000
LLW(2) 3,020 361,000 364,000
VLLW 0 2,650,000 2,650,000
Total 81,200 3,150,000 3,230,000
Waste category Volume (m3)
Reported at 1 April 2025 Reported future arisings Lifetime Total
HLW 1,060 -34.5 1,020
ILW(3) 110,000 224,000 334,000
LLW(2) 713 193,000 193,000
VLLW 0 2,520,000 2,520,000
Total 111,000 2,940,000 3,050,000
Waste category Volume (m3)
Reported at 1 April 2025 Reported future arisings Lifetime Total
HLW 1,380 -45.0 1,340
ILW(3) 147,000 322,000 469,000
LLW(2) 761 196,000 197,000
VLLW 0 2,520,000 2,520,000
Total 149,000 3,040,000 3,190,000

(1) From 1.4.2025 there is a net decrease in the reported volume of HLW. This is because accumulated Highly Active Liquor (HAL) is being conditioned, which reduces its volume. It is also because vitrified HLW is being exported to overseas customers. Thus, the volume of 1,960 m3 at 1.4.2025 is expected to fall by 814 m3, to 1,150 m3, by 2037. This is when all HAL (plus Insoluble Fission Products (IFP) residues and contaminated plant items) is expected to be conditioned.
(2) In addition there is 470 m3 reported volume (45.9 m3 packaged volume) from AGR fuel flasks stored at Sellafield.
(3) ~31,000 m3 reported volume is expected to be LLW.

Forecast waste arisings

Location

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From Amersham and AWE Aldermaston to Winfrith and Wylfa – you can source site-by-site waste inventory data from sites across the UK nuclear industry here.