§ Mr. Nigel JonesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action his Department proposes 407W to take to reduce the levels of tritium found in sole, flounder and mussels in the Severn Estuary; and if he will make a statement. [62964]
Mr. Jon Owen JonesI have been asked to reply.
In 1999, Nycomed Amersham will be applying for a new discharge authorisation from the Environment Agency. It will be for the Agency to determine the level of discharge of tritium that would be appropriate. The Secretary of State will be a statutory consultee reflecting his responsibilities for food safety.
In terms of dose to the critical group of fishermen, and fish and shellfish consumers, it is estimated that the current tritium concentrations in fish and shellfish contribute 40–45 microsieverts per year. Together with the dose from carbon-14 the total dose to the critical group is 60 microsieverts per year. This is well below the established limit of 1,000 microsieverts per year, and the dose constraint of 300 microsieverts per year from new sources.