HC Deb 05 June 1990 vol 173 c486W
Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when officers of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution last met officials of East Sussex county council to discuss disposal of low-level radioactive waste; arid if he will make a statement.

Mr. Trippier

[holding answer 23 May 1990]: Since the inception of HMIP in 1987 there have been no formal meetings between its officers and officials of East Sussex county council to discuss disposals of low-level radioactive waste.

Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those sites in east Sussex permitted to accept low-level radioactive waste, giving t he maximum permitted quantity in each case, as determined by the radiochemical inspectorate branch of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

Mr. Trippier

[holding answer 23 May 1990]: Any waste disposal site licensed by a waste disposal authority under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 (COPA) may receive low-level radioactive waste where such a disposal method is authorised by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution (HMIP) under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960. Waste disposal authorities maintain registers of all disposal sites licensed under COPA in their areas.

The Department does not maintain a central record of quantities of low-level radioactive waste disposed of through local disposal routes. However, a condition of authorisation requires waste producers to keep proper and detailed records relating to their disposals. These records are subject to scrutiny by HMIP inspectors and in cases where a disposal requires special precautions to be taken, both HMIP and the local waste disposal authorities are notified by the operator of the nature and destination of individual consignments of radioactive waste due for disposal.

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