Transport of radioactive waste along the Sellafield shoreline: climate change impact and mitigation strategies through nature-based solutions

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Using the coastal modelling software Delft-3D, the relevance of waves, storms and sea-level rise on coastal erosion and sediment transport for the wider Sellafield shoreline will be examined. The risk of flooding potentially causing physical remobilization and transport of sediments contaminated by radionuclides will be assessed. Evaluating the contribution of different storms intensities, and frequency, as well as various sea level rise scenarios to the remobilization of mudflat and shoreline sediments. Field measurements and coring will be carried out to evaluate the spatial distribution of contaminants depending on the relative exposure to wind, waves, and tidal currents. The field studies will validate the data the numerical model produces. This data will be used to investigate the effect of remobilized legacy waste on the environment. The movement of Sellafield figure print radionuclides along the Sellafield coast is of primary interest, as well as how this process will be affected by future climate change. The numerical model will be adapted to include different decay rates to account for different radioactive elements. The model will be used to assess the effectiveness of nature-based solutions, for example the planting of reed beds for contaminant bioaccumulation, thus removing the radionuclides from the soil. This will provide a tool for stakeholders to explore different management options.