Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what representations will be made by his 603W Department at the international conference on low and intermediate-level nuclear waste management organised by the International Atomic Energy Agency and Commission of the European Communities to be held in Stockholm from 16 to 20 May;
(2) if he will list in the Official Report all those United Kingdom participants referred by his Department for the International Atomic Energy Agency Commission of the European Communities joint international symposium on low and intermediate-level nuclear wastes to be held in Stockholm on 16 to 20 May; and what specific departmental representation is arranged.
§ Mr. MoynihanTwenty five United Kingdom delegates attended the IAEA/CEC symposium on low and intermediate level waste held in Stockholm 16–20 May. The following organisations were represented
HM Inspectorate of Pollution; HM Industrial Pollution Inspectorate; United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority; Central Electricity Generating Board; South of Scotland Electricity Board; British Nuclear Fuels plc; National Radiological Protection Board; Taywood Engineering Ltd; Associated Nuclear Services; and the Open university.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what physical checks are made on consignments of radioactive wastes on arrival at the Drigg dump near Sellafield to ensure that the packaged waste contains only what Her Majesty's Pollution Inspectorate authorisations allow.
§ Mr. MoynihanBNF plc is responsible for quality assurance monitoring at the Drigg site. Her Majesty's Inspectors of Pollution also carry out quality checking. Material can be removed to an independent laboratory for analysis by inspectors.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total radioactivity content in becquerels of nuclear wastes currently deposited at the Drigg dump near Sellafield; and what authorisations exist for disposal up to the year 2010.
§ Mr. Moynihan470 terabecquerels were disposed of at Drigg up to 1 January 1986. An authorisation controlling the disposal of solid radioactive waste to the Drigg site was issued on 1 February 1988. It will be reviewed by 1992.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his policy towards the import by the United Kingdom of foreign nuclear wastes in low and intermediate categories for(a) treatment, incineration and compaction and (b) disposal, once Nirex has finalised its search for a suitable deep disposal site.
§ Mr. MoynihanNo low and intermediate level waste arising from anywhere in the world is imported into the United Kingdom. Any proposals to do so would be considered on its merits, with a view to ensuring that neither the public nor the environment should be placed at any risk.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has made any consideration of planning gains to be offered to the residents of Drigg and Carleton in Cumbria near Sellafield in the light of the planning and environmental blight brought about by the radioactive waste dump at Drigg; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. MoynihanMy right hon. Friend has made no consideration of planning gains in the Drigg area. This is a matter for BNFL and the local authorities.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total plutonium content(a) by weight and (b) by radioactivity content of plutonium contamination material currently deposited at the Drigg dump near Sellafield; and if he will make a statement on the extractability of the plutonium by current methods or methods known to his Department presently under development.
§ Mr. MoynihanI understand from BNFL that there are about 500 g of plutonium dispersed throughout 700,000 cum of low-level radioactive waste currently deposited at Drigg. The radioactive content of this is estimated to be approximately 25 tera becqerels. Much research has been carried out into methods to remove plutonium from wastes prior to disposal; however, none has proved to be worth while.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to initiate a special development order to permit British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. to conduct borehole testing as part of suitability evaluation for deep disposal of nuclear waste at the Sellafield site, in light of the rejection of the planning application for such a test from British Nuclear Fuels plc by the Copeland borough council planning committee.
§ Mr. MoynihanI have at present no plans to initiate a special development order.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of radioactive wastes currently deposited at the Drigg dump near Sellafield arise from contracts made with foreign companies or Governments; and what proportion of the volume of wastes expected to be deposited at the Drigg dump by the year 2010 will be of foreign origin.
§ Mr. MoynihanApproximately 4 per cent. by volume of the radioactive waste disposed of by burial into the ground at the Drigg disposal site up to the end of 1987 arose from British Nuclear Fuel's contracts with foreign customers. This percentage is not expected to change significantly in the period to 2010.