European enrichment company Urenco on 7 June announced the completion of construction of a new multi-million pound Tails Management Facility (TMF) in Capenhurst near Chester, UK.

The TMF opening ceremony was attended by representatives from the government, industry and the local community.

Urenco said responsible management of the byproduct of the enrichment process, known as tails, is crucial to Urenco’s commitment to sustainability. Tails are converted to uranium oxide, which is stable and allows long-term storage prior to either further enrichment or safe disposal of the residual uranium. To enable the conversion, Urenco invested in the TMF, which is operated by a subsidiary company Urenco ChemPlants.

“We are very proud of our safety record during the construction of the TMF," said Boris Schucht, Chief Executive Officer of Urenco. "We achieved more than seven million hours of safe working, making the TMF one of the safest construction sites in the UK and a credit to the whole workforce."