Game Changers Challenge - Lift it, shift it: An alternative approach to asbestos removal

Overview

Innovate UK is supporting FIS360 in the promotion of the Game Changers innovation programme, which finds solutions for complex nuclear industry challenges. Apply now for this Sellafield Ltd challenge, which requires a safe and cost-effective means to remove asbestos-containing materials from site. This challenge is seeking solutions that provide encapsulation of these materials prior to their removal for decontamination and disposal. This would reduce the extent of on-site dismantling required, provide significant cost savings and speed up decommissioning.

At Sellafield, there are a substantial number of buildings and pieces of equipment that were constructed before 1999, when asbestos was widely used. These are due to be dismantled and demolished as part of the decommissioning plan.

Any solution that can provide sufficient containment of ACM to allow transport of larger components for off-site disposal would be hugely beneficial to Sellafield Ltd and other nuclear facilities. This would reduce the need for on-site dismantling and the inherent risk to operators.

The solution should be able to encapsulate larger sections of ACMs that do not fit in a UN approved bulk bag, such as whole cement sheets and >1 m sections of pipework, so that they can be transported as a whole and without further containment.

It is critical that the solution is compatible with the demolition methodology currently employed at Sellafield, and adheres to the ADR, CAR2012 & CDM regulations. The solution should provide adequate encapsulation that would allow an SP168 exemption to be adopted.

Briefing webinar

Game Changers will be hosting a challenge briefing webinar at 10:30am on Monday 4 November 2024. Delegates will have the chance to hear directly from the challenge owners and ask questions.
Register here for the briefing webinar.

The closing date for applications is Thursday 14 November 2024 at 3pm.

More information about the funding process.

Frequently asked questions, including further details of the available funding.

Eligibility

Any organisation of any size can apply for funding through Game Changers including SMEs, Higher Education Institutions, Research and Technology Organisations and public bodies. Companies who apply for funding must be registered with Companies House. International organisations can also apply for funding. Certain exemptions may apply depending on the nature of the challenge.

More information and a detailed challenge statement can be found on the Game Changers website at the link below.