§ Mr. McGradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what has been(a) the annual volume, (b) isotopic content and (c) origin of wastes received at each site designated for low-level radioactive waste since 1994; [31309]
(2) if she will list sites in Northern Ireland specified in authorisations issued under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 to receive low-level radioactive waste. [31310]
§ Mr. Paul MurphyResponsibility for these matters has been delegated to Environment and Heritage Service under its Chief Executive, Mr. Robert C Martin. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Robert C. Martin to Mr. Eddie McGrady, dated 26 February 1998:
As Chief Executive of Environment and Heritage Service (EHS), I am responsible for all operational aspects of the environmental policies of the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland. I am responding to the two Parliamentary Questions which you put down for answer on Tuesday, 3 March 1998, regarding authorisations issued under the Radioactive Act 1993 and details of low level radioactive waste.Under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 the Chief Radiochemical Inspector issues Certificates of Registration for premises to hold radioactive material and also Certificates of Authorisation for the accumulation and disposal of radioactive waste. Conditions are placed on operators to control the disposal of 438W low level radioactive waste eg restrictions on the quantities of waste that can be held and the disposal routes chosen. Operators are required to notify the Chief Inspector in writing of the details of all such disposals. EHS's Industrial Pollution and Radiochemical Inspectorate (IPRI) routinely inspects premises to ensure compliance with imposed conditions.
Various disposal routes are used locally eg controlled discharge to drains, land burial and intermediate storage prior to disposal at authorised facilities such as Harwell and Drigg in GB. Operators are required to provide the Chief Inspector with details of all radioactive material received and amounts disposed of via the various disposal routes on an annual basis. Public Registers giving details of all Registrations and Authorisations in Northern Ireland are held by IPRI in a central register and by the relevant district council in their local office.No 235
Only one landfill site at Dargan Road, located in the Belfast City Council area has been used for the disposal of low level radioactive waste since 1994.
The volume of radioactive waste disposed of each year at this site is approximately 50 cubic metres. Details of the activity are set out in the attached table.No 236
There are 4 sites currently authorised by the Chief Radiochemical Inspector, under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 to receive low level radioactive waste.
They are:
- Culmore Point landfill site, near Londonderry;
- Dargan Road landfill site, Belfast; and
- Letterloan and Mayboy Road landfill, sites, both near Coleraine.
- I trust you find this reply helpful.
Radionuclide Radioactivity 1994 Disposed 1995 {MBq} 1996 Tritium 194.31 92.807 31.295 Carbon 14 9.924 6.03 736.276 Other isotopes with a half life less than 1 year 3,069.46 2,199.67 888.4 Other isotopes with a half life greater than 1 year 0 9.5 0 Waste technetium 99 columns 50 50 0 The radioactive waste deposited at Dargan Road landfill site came from local hospitals with some material from the local Universities.