§ Mr. Altonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what research he has authorised on alternative methods of disposal of radioactive wastes—low level— to the existing method of dumping at sea: and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FoxThe Natural Environment Research Council's Institute of Geological Sciences is investigating the characteristics of geological formations beneath the sites of existing nuclear installations as part of a programme to determine their suitability for the possible disposal of solid intermediate and low-level radioactive wastes. The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority is developing processes for treating and packaging such wastes into forms suitable for possible land disposal. The National Radiological Protection Board is continuously improving models to assess the possible migration of radionuclides through geological formations with a view to determining the effectiveness of geological barriers in inhibiting the return of radioactivity to man and his environment.