§ Mr. McGradyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take measures to ban the transportation of all toxic and radioactive waste to and from the United Kingdom: and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacleanNegotiations are in progress on a draft EC Regulation on the supervision and control of shipments of waste within, into and out of the European Community. The Regulation will enable the United Kingdom to ratify the UNEP Basel convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal. The Government believe that all developed countries should become self-sufficient in final disposal of waste, and is pressing for the regulation to include controls to that effect. The Government consider that imports of hazardous waste should continue from developing countries which are unable to deal safely with such waste. Under the current draft of the regulation no exports for final disposal would be allowed from the Community, except to EFTA countries. The Government also consider that international movements of waste for recovery should continue subject to appropriate environmental controls, such as those included in the recent OECD Decision on this subject.
No radioactive waste is imported into the United Kingdom. Spent nuclear fuel is imported but this is a resource which can be reprocessed. Since 1976, British Nuclear Fuels Limited's contracts have contained options for the return of wastes arising from reprocessing nuclear fuel. The Government intend that reprocessing contracts with overseas customers should continue to contain such options, and that these options will be exercised and wastes returned.