§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what budget has been allocated for each year since 1975 for (a) the detailed environmental and ecological assessment required prior to granting a licence for the dumping of radioactive waste at sea, (b) the results of monitoring the effects of radioactive waste dumped at sea in the past and (c) the justification of this year's proposed sea dumping operation as against land based alternatives as required prior to the grant of a licence.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe figures cannot be broken down in this way. My Department's expenditure on scientific studies into radioactivity in the marine environment for the years in question was:
£ 1975–76 * 1976–77 434,100 1977–78 764,400 1978–79 956,200 1979–80 1,172,900 1980–81 † 1,589,400 * Comparable figures for this year not available. † Estimate. These figures include expenditure on both dumping and coastal discharges. Much of the work has some relevance to both methods of disposal.
In addition to specific studies on radioactivity, the assessment of the effects of deep sea disposal draws upon more general oceanographic and fisheries data and the staff of my fisheries radiobiological Laboratory participate in international research programmes. They also have 56W access to relevant work funded by other Departments and organisations. In particular, the assessment of land disposal options is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which country, besides the United Kingdom, is allowing the dumping of radioactive waste at sea this year.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithI understand that the joint disposal operation normally carried out annually by the Belgian, Swiss and Dutch authorities has been postponed this year pending the public hearing which has been requested under Dutch legislation. I do not know whether, as a consequence, the Belgian or Swiss authorities will undertake separate operations.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much radioactive waste has been dumped at sea in each year since 1975.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThis information is as follows:
Year Gross Weight in tonnes (including packaging) Radioactivity in curies alpha beta/gamma 1976 2,269 789 49,777 1977 2,140 930 74,830 1978 2,080 814 69,307 1979 2,014 1,381 81,080 1980 2,693 1,791 106,079
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has received any representations opposing the dumping of radioactive waste at sea, and from whom; and whether there have been any consequential discussions.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithIndividuals and organisations write to my Department from time to time asking for information or expressing concern about the use of sea disposal for radioactive wastes. During the current year, my Department has received comments and requests for information from Greenpeace and representations from one private individual specifically opposing the dumping of radioactive wastes at sea.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why it has been necessary to incorporate 30 tonnes of lead shielding in the radioactive waste dumped at sea in 1980 and 1981; and how many packages have been shielded with lead.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithLead is used by the operators in the packaging process when this is considered necessary in order to safeguard those workers involved from gamma-emitting wastes. I understand that some lead shielding was used in about 15 per cent. of the packages for the 1980 and 1981 sea dumps.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the radioactive 57W waste packages dumped at sea in each year since 1975 has had a surface dose rate falling into the following categories (a) above 50 to 200 mrem/h, (b) above 200 to 500 mrem/ h and (c) above 500 mrem/h; and what proportion of the packages has contained fissile material in excess of 15g.
Year Less than 50m/rem/hrper cent. 50–200per cent. 200–500per cent. Above 500 per cent. 1976 82 11 6 less than 1 1977 77 16 6 about 1 1978 77 20 about 3.5 less than 0.1 1979 87 12 1 — 1980 90 9 about 0.5 less than 0.5 No more than 10 per cent. of the packages dumped in any year contain fissile material in excess of 15g.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the radioactive waste dumped at sea each year since 1975 has been (a) low level waste, (b) intermediate level waste and (c) high level waste.
§ Mr. Buchanan-Smiththere are no precise definitions of high, intermediate and low level wastes. For the purposes of the London dumping convention only two categories of waste are used: high level wastes, defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency as unsuitable for dumping at sea, and lower level wastes which can be dumped provided special care is exercised. All the waste dumped at sea since 1975 has fallen within this latter category.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the radioactive waste dumped at sea in each year since 1975 has come from (a) the nuclear power industry, (b) nuclear weapons research, manufacture and storage, (c) the propulsion of nuclear submarines, (d) medical or industrial applications of radioactivity and (e) other.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithIt has not been the practice of successive Governments to reveal the precise sources of any types of waste licensed under the Dumping at Sea Act 1974 as this can involve matters of commercial and national confidentiality.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he has granted a permit for the dumping of radioactive waste at sea in the current year.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithIn considering licence applications under the Dumping at Sea Act 1974, the principal criterion that I take into account is whether the waste concerned would cause significant damage to the marine environment or its living resources. I also pay full regard to our international commitments and I consider whether there are more suitable alternative disposal options. So far as the licence application in respect of this year's sea dump of radioactive waste is concerned, I am satisfied that the environmental effects will be negligible and that there are no suitable alternative disposal facilities.