§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the free release of radioactive material; what thresholds apply to such releases; and what quantities have been released in each year since 1997. [97714]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 13 February 2003]: Responsibility for the policy with respect to radioactivity in the environment rests with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Under section 13 of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 (RSA 93) the disposal of radioactive material requires authorization. The regulation of radioactive waste, under RSA 93, in England and Wales, is the responsibility of the Environment Agency and a system of "discharge authorizations" is used to control the nature and quantities of radioactive waste that may be discharged into the environment from any site. However, under the Radioactive Substances (Substances of Low Activity) Exemption Order 1986 solid radioactive waste that is substantially insoluble in water and that has activity of less than 0.4 Becquerel/gram is exempt from the controls under RSA 93, so-called "free release". As such waste is exempt from regulatory control, no centrally held records are kept of the quantities that have been released.
91W
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment has been conducted(a) by and (b) for her Department on the effectiveness of RIMNET 3; and if she will place copies of such research in the Library.[93273]
§ Mr. MeacherThe Radioactive Incident Monitoring Network (RIMNET) Phase 3 system is currently under development, as explained in my previous answer on 20 January 2003,Official Report, column 105W.
The specification for RIMNET 3 was based upon the proven functionality of the RIMNET Phase 2 system, which continues to meet maintenance contract targets in excess of 99 per cent. reliability. This is through in depth design features which provide the necessary levels of resilience, including backup facilities at a remote location. Remote in this sense, means far removed from the main facility, yet accessible to authorised users via modern electronic communications. Assessment of the effectiveness of the RIMNET 3 system will be undertaken during its development and the acceptance trials. RIMNET 3 is currently scheduled to come into full operation and take over from RIMNET 2 in early 2004.
Summaries of radiation monitoring data held on the RIMNET system are regularly sent to the House Library and are also published in departmental environmental statistical summaries.
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the present discharge unit is for technetium-99; what the analysis of levels of discharge over the last 12 months shows; and what progress has been made in considering the Department's response to recommendations by the Environment Agency in respect of discharge limits. [96518]
§ Margaret BeckettThe present discharge limit for technetium-99 is 90 TBq/year. In the 12 month period to the end of November 2002, the most up-to-date information currently available, 84.3 TBq of technetium-99 were discharged.
On 11 December 2002 my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and I (the two Ministers with joint responsibility under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993) announced that we saw no reason to direct the Environment Agency to take a different course to the one that the agency had identified in its proposed decision on technetium-99, published in September 2001. At the same time, I sought views on a proposal where I might direct the agency to consider the possibility of a moratorium on technetium-99 discharges pending introduction of TPP-based abatement technology. We are considering the representations received and hope to make a decision on the proposed direction shortly.
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects the Government to publish national waste acceptance criteria. [96467]
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§ Mr. MeacherThe Government will consult on the European Commission's obligatory waste acceptance criteria later this year as part of a wider consultation on amendments to the Landfill Regulations (England and Wales). (The waste acceptance criteria were introduced into the Landfill Directive by Decision C 20 E/171 of 28 January 2003 and must be transposed into UK legislation by 16 July 2004.) The amendments to the Landfill Regulations (England and Wales) introducing the waste acceptance criteria will be made following that consultation and before 16 July 2004.