Environmental Safety

A robust and transparent safety case lies at the heart of license applications for disposal of radioactive wastes. A safety case needs to be comprehensive, clearly structured and should incorporate a wide range of evidence.

MCM consultants have advised waste disposal organisations on the structuring of safety cases and have been involved in developing milestone safety cases in several geological disposal programmes.

MCM has extensive and in-depth experience of working with regulatory authorities to evaluate both milestone safety cases and actual license submissions for the construction of geological repositories.

The Partners at MCM have been instrumental in the development of international approaches to scenario formulation and analysis.

MCM staff are all passionate the need for clear communication in their work. Public concerns over safety have slowed or halted the progress of many waste management programmes. Establishing and maintaining confidence through effective dialogue, representation and communication is critical. MCM is renowned worldwide for its communication activities with both technical and non-technical groups.

Our aim is to enhance confidence in strategic and technical decisions that support the implementation of geological disposal.

Our environmental safety services include:

• Developing the structure, content and presentation of a repository safety case
• Scenario development; data selection and management; geochemical modelling
• Detailed technical review and evaluation of safety cases submitted in license applications
• Assessment of regulatory compliance issues
• Development of or response to technical license conditions
• Integrating complementary indicators of safety with performance assessment results
• Accessible, web-based safety case documentation
• Decades of experience communicating with all types of stakeholders
• Media training, support to debates, technical implementation and decision-making
• Lecture courses and workshops for universities, schools, technical organisations
• Developing and participating in documentaries for film, TV, company use
• Internet platforms to make information accessible and attractive