§ Mr. Barry Jonesasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what steps have been taken by his Department to monitor the radiation levels of waste rubble and steel from a demolished uranium enrichment building at British Nuclear Fuels Ltd, Capenhurst currently being tipped at the Mount tip, Buckley, Clwyd; and if he will make a statement;
502W(2) what monitoring has been carried out by the Radiochemical Inspectorate of radioactivity in concrete rubble and steel waste from the demolished uranium enrichment plant at British Nuclear Fuels Limited, Capenhurst currently being tipped at Mount tip. Buckley, Clwyd; if he will publish the results of such monitoring; what steps the Inspectorate takes to monitor radioactivity levels at the point of disposal; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Rumbold[pursuant to her reply, 12 June 1986]: Wastes consisting of concrete rubble and some reinforcing steel are arising from the demolition of the floor of a redundant building at Capenhurst which used to house part of the old uranium enrichment plant.
Prior to demolition, BNFL was required by the Radiochemical Inspectorate of my Department to carry out detailed and systematic monitoring of all materials for disposal. Some small areas of contaminated concrete were found, and disposed of, under an authorised route. None of the wastes being deposited at the Mount tip, Buckley, Clwyd is considered to be radioactive within the meaning of the Radioactive Substances Act 1960. The Radiochemical Inspectorate confirmed the validity of these measurements by independent monitoring and the measurements demonstate that the levels recorded are consistent with that expected for naturally occurring radioactivity in concrete.
Because the wastes have been demonstrated to be nonradioactive within the meaning of the 1960 Act, subsequent disposals are not subject to the provisions of this Act and therefore the Radiochemical Inspectorate has no cause to monitor at the point of disposal. However the Alyn and Deeside district council and the Welsh Water Authority are aware of these disposals and are monitoring the situation under their powers.