§ Mr. Cunliffeasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if there are any sites in existence, or being considered, as suitable for the disposal of radioactive waste in Greater Manchester county.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneIn accordance with normal practice, low-level radioactive waste from research and medical activities at universities and the polytechnic is buried with specified precautions at a county council landfill site for household refuse, currently the one at Barlow Hall. In view of the closure of that site, a replacement is now being sought in conjunction with the county council and the relevant district council; the water authority will be consulted. There is also an authorisation for a private firm to bury low-level radioactive waste from its operations on its own premises.
§ Mr. Cunliffeasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if opencast site areas, which have been 335W worked to completion but as yet not filled in, fall into the category of landfilled sites as mentioned in the White Paper on radioactive waste management.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneNo. Landfill site is a technical term for a site used for the controlled disposal of household or non-radioactive industrial waste. As the White Paper noted, limited amounts of low-level radioactive waste can be buried on such a site, provided the concentration and nature of the radioactivity are appropriate, and an authorisation is issued by my Department under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960.