HC Deb 20 February 1992 vol 204 c288W
Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what quantities of(a) low level, (b) intermediate level and (c) high level radioactive wastes are currently stored at (i) Aldermaston, (ii) Burghfield and (iii) Llanishen; and if he will distinguish between materials being temporarily stored and those being permanently stored.

Mr. Kenneth Carlisle

Wastes from all three sites for which a current national disposal route is available are stored on the sites temporarily only pending transfer to a disposal site. No high level waste is produced at any of the sites of the Atomic Weapons Establishment. Low level waste only is produced at Burghfield and Llanishen, and both low and intermediate level wastes are produced at Aldermaston. Long-term storage of wastes, for which no disposal route is currently available, is carried out in purpose-built stores at Aldermaston. The stores are subject to regular monitoring and surveillance, and constitute no danger to the public, the work force or the environment. At December 1991, which is the latest date for which figures are available, the volumes of wastes stored at Aldermaston are 1,800 cu/m of low level waste and 2,100 cu/m of intermediate level waste; at Burghfield no waste is stored; and at Llanishen 19 cu/m of low level waste only is stored.

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