HC Deb 21 February 1991 vol 186 cc225-6W
Mr. John Garrett

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recommendations the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee has made on the disposal of smoke detectors containing Americium 240.

Mr. Leigh

The Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee has made no recommendation to me about the disposal of smoke detectors containing Americium 241. But the National Radiological Protection Board has assured me that they can be disposed of safely with domestic rubbish.

Mr. John Garrett

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has for requiring the packaging of smoke detectors to indicate that they contain radioactive material.

Mr. Leigh

The proposed Radioactive Products (Safety) Regulations will require approved products to be labelled "approved by the National Radiological Protection Board under the Radioactive Products (Safety) Regulations". It is therefore unnecessary to indicate that a product contains a radioactive substance since the product will bear a label indicating that it has been approved as safe.

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