§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the method being adopted to evaluate the submissions made in response to the consultation paper circulated as part of the review of radioactive waste management policy.
§ Mr. AtkinsWe have received a large number of responses to the review of radioactive waste management policy. Each of these is being given careful consideration. A statement of conclusions will be made in due course.
§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what reports he has received concerning breaches of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 by the disposal to sea from nuclear facilities of radioactive acid.
§ Mr. AtkinsMy Department has received no such reports.
§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent incidences of significant environmental contamination by radioactive tritium have been reported to his Department by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution; and what steps have been taken to discover the cause of such contamination.
§ Mr. AtkinsThere have been no recent instances of significant environmental contamination by radioactive tritium reported by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution. Disposal of radioactive waste, including tritiated material, is regulated by HMIP under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993. As part of this regulatory function the inspectorate carries out a monitoring programme to confirm that the environmental impact of such disposals is minimal. The results are published in HMIP's annual monitoring programme 57W report on radioactive substances, a copy of which is in the Library. The most recent report for the calender year 1993, shows an increase in the levels of tritium in the leachate arising from some landfill sites. An investigation and an enhanced monitoring programme have been instigated to examine this issue. The quantities of radioactive tritium are, however, such that the radiological impact of these discharges is negligible.