§ Mr. Humeasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what tests are carried out, and at what regularity, to ascertain the effects of radioactive effluent on marine life in the Irish sea;
(2) if he will make a statement on the levels and effect of pollution in the Irish sea from chemical, radioactive and other effluents.
§ Mr. MacGregorI have been asked to reply.
Discharges of radioactive waste into the Irish sea take place in accordance with authorisations granted under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960. The discharges themselves and materials from the environment are regularly monitored both by the nuclear site operators and, independently, by the authorising Departments. The work 570W carried out by my Department includes extensive analysis of samples of a wide variety of materials from the marine environment, including seawater, fish, shellfish, sediments and seaweed. The results are published annually in "Radioactivity in Surface and Coastal Waters of the British Isles", copies of which are placed in the Library of the House. The latest results, published last year, show that the amounts of radioactivity received by even the most exposed group of the population continued to be within the internationally recommended limits. My Department also monitors the levels of metals and organochlorines in the water, fish and shellfish from the Irish sea and has no evidence that these present a problem. Recent measures by the water authorities should in any case help to improve the situation substantially.