§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the permissible limits set for the annual discharge of nitrous oxide from Sellafield; and what quantities of nitrous oxide were emitted by British Nuclear Fuels from Sellafield in each of the past 10 years. [4721]
553W
§ Mr. ClappisonThe Environment Agency monitors releases of, and set limits for, oxides of nitrogen NOx under the integrated pollution control regime. The description, oxides of nitrogen, includes nitrous oxide N2O as well as nitric oxide NO and nitrogen dioxide NO2.
Oxides of nitrogen were released by the large boilers, which were regulated under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. These have now closed and data are available only for the years 1993 and 1994, as follows:
Year Annual release limit tonnes per year Actual release tonnes per year 1993 1,550 177.3 1994 2,132 200 Integrated pollution control authorisations have been issued this year for the Magnox and Thorp processes with the following limits for NOx
Process Annual release limit tonnes per year Magnox 35 Thorp 90 Actual release data will be available from 1997.