§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy towards the use of landfill sites for the disposal of military radioactive waste; what use has been made of this technique in the past; what steps are taken to ensure that no environmental contamination takes place; and what measurements have been made of the actual level of contamination.
§ Mr. SainsburyThe Ministry of Defence believes that shallow land burial is an appropriate and safe method of disposing of its low-level radioactive waste. It is the normal method for disposal of low-level radioactive waste, which arises from a variety of sources including hospitals and industry.
All disposals are measured and recorded. Regular monitoring of the disposal sites and surrounding area is carried out by the appropriate agencies to ensure that no harm to the local population or the environment occurs from past disposals.