BNFL EXPERIENCE OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT: EXPECTATIONS FOR RISK POLICIES

摘要

BNFL operates a range of nuclear facilities covering fuel fabrication, power plants, reprocessing operations and decommissioning activities. The paper explores the company's experiences in public communication and stakeholder involvement relating to nuclear and radiation issues. These range from the early establishment of Local Liaison Committees linked to each of the sites, through the introduction of public visitor centres at sites, the extensive involvement in formal consultation exercises, to the more recent involvement of a wide range of stakeholders in a process of dialogue to aid the decision making of the company on environmental affairs. In these activities there are some common themes which the company and the wider nuclear industry believes should be consistently brought to the attention of stakeholders and decision makers in order to support a balanced consideration of these issues. How, and indeed whether (and to what extent) these aspects are then factored into the overall decision process is subject to a changing dynamic within the developing expectations of society for a more transparent involvement in technological issues.