Final preparations are being made to return waste from the Sellafield site in the UK to overseas customers, which will leave later today.

A single 113te flask, containing 28 stainless steel containers of solid Highly Active Waste (HAW), is being transported from the Sellafield site, on a specially constructed rail wagon, to the port of Barrow.

It is due to be transferred on to the Pacific Nuclear Transport Ltd (PNTL) vessel the Pacific Sandpiper prior to its departure for Japan. The voyage is scheduled to be completed by the end of March 2010.

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Mike Johnson, Director of Waste and Effluent Disposition for Sellafield Ltd, said: "This work, known in the UK as Vitrified Residue Returns programme, will deliver on the Government's policy and contractual obligations for return of waste to overseas customers.

"The first return infrastructure is in place and the first flask is today being dispatched from the Sellafield site. The programme is making the final preparations for transporting the consignment to the Japanese customers."

All of the transports of HAW to Japan will be delivered by International Nuclear Services and its subsidiary, PNTL.

In 2007 PNTL completed a programme of 12 similar HAW transports to Japan for the French nuclear industry.

(CD/GK)