§ 6. Mr. Gareth Wardellasked the Secretary of State for Wales how many of the hospitals in Wales which discharge radioactive waste use Amberlite IRA 410 resin to remove radioiodine before discharge.
§ Mr. Wyn RobertsInformation on the usage of Amberlite is not held centrally, but I understand that IRA 410 resin is not generally used in Welsh hospitals.
§ Mr. WardellDoes the Minister accept that a clean environment free from artificial radioactivity is desirable and that this is especially so in an area such as Bracelet Bay, in my constituency, which is frequently used for recreation, but which is very close to the discharge of radioactivity from Singleton hospital? Because of the untreated nature of this radioactive waste and the possibility of insufficient mixing, as well as the concentration of that waste in both organic and inorganic materials, will he arrange for a special survey into whether it is possible to have concentrated and shielded protection of this material so that it can decay and so that the radioiodine is reduced by 99 per cent. of its radioactivity before discharge takes place?
§ Mr. RobertsI agree with the hon. Gentleman that we want as clean an environment as possible, but I am sure he will accept that we also want as healthy an environment as possible. He surely does not object to the use of radioactive material for medical purposes. That is what happens at Singleton hospital in Swansea. I wrote to the hon. Gentleman on 31 January this year and told him:
The discharges from Singleton Hospital are within the limits laid down in the current authorisation which was issued in 1979.There is no danger whatsoever from the discharge of radioactive material in use at that hospital.