HC Deb 18 December 1985 vol 89 cc209-10W
Mr. Prescott

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the radioactive inventory and volume of waste disposed of at sea for each year from 1955 to 1982.

Mr. Gummer

Information on the total weight and activity of the radioactive wastes disposed of at sea by the United Kingdom in each year from 1955 to 1982 is as follows. Packaging normally accounts for about 90 per cent. of the weight of each consignment.

Sea disposal of low-level radioactive waste by the United Kingdom, 1955–82
Year Weight(tonnes) Activity(a) alpha curies(b) beta/gamma*
1955 2,617 47 77
1956 1,038 44 33
1957 5,941 1,064 969
1958 3,705 753 1,142
1959 1,198 4 74
†1960 2,551 74 218
1961 6,327 583 1,938
‡1962 1,697 22 239
1963 7,352 371 7,115

Year Weight (tonnes) Activity (a) alpha curies(b) beta/gamma*
1964 4,392 444 15,090
1965 1,759 114 13,754
1966 1.044 78 2,742
1967 722 91 1,682
1968 3,164 731 74,837
1969 1,878 390 17,590
1970 1,674 233 20,224
1971 1,434 323 8,615
1972 1,885 674 19,049
1973 1,453 739 11,641
1974 1,256 399 94,126
1975 1,350 704 52,481
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
1981 2,517 2,032 104,709
1982 2,697 1,264 101,512

* including tritium.

† includes 289 tonnes from Belgian sources.

‡ includes 438 tonnes from Belgian sources.

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