HC Deb 04 March 1997 vol 291 c586W
Mr. Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress being made in developing a treatment process for ion exchange resin arising from the MODIX process at Rosyth and Devonport. [18221]

Mr. Arbuthnot

This is a matter for the chief executive of the Ships Support Agency. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Roger Babington to Mr. Alan Simpson, dated 4 March 1997: I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the progress on the treatment of ion exchange resin arising from the MODIX process at Rosyth and Devonport, as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Ships Support Agency. The resin generated as a result of the MODIX process can be categorised into two groups; resin containing chelates (chemicals which affect the rate at which the radioactivity within the resin may leach out) and resin without chelates. The resin without chelates, categorised as low level waste, is sent to BNF Plc Drigg for disposal. The resin without chelates, categorised as intermediate level waste, is stored safely until it has decayed to low level waste, when it too can be disposed of at BNF Plc Drigg. The resin containing chelates is cleaned by a process called MODULOX (trade name for Modular Oxidisation) which removes the chelates so the waste can be disposed of at BNF Plc Drigg once classified as low level waste.

Mr. Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress being made to construct building D151 at Devonport to store arisings of ion exchange resin. [18218]

Mr. Arbuthnot

This is a matter for the chief executive of the Ships Support Agency. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Roger Babington to Mr. Alan Simpson, dated 4 March 1997: I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the progress being made to construct building D151 at Devonport to store the arisings of ion exchange resin, as this mater falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Ships Support Agency. The construction work on the building which will accommodate arisings from the ion exchange resin is progressing to programme, under project D151, for handover to Devonport Management Limited early in 1998.