PART 1Radioactive Substances Activities
Amendment of the Radioactive Substances Act 19932
1
The Radioactive Substances Act 1993 is amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (8).
2
In the Section headed Preliminary in so far as it extends to Northern Ireland—
a
in section 1A (meaning of radioactive material) in the first line after “sections 1E, 1F,1G” insert “, 1GA”;
b
after section 1D (radionuclides not of natural terrestrial or cosmic origin) insert—
Dilution to reduce concentration of radioactivity: Northern Ireland1DA
For the purposes of section 1B, 1C and 1D, a substance or article is to be treated as having a concentration of radioactivity which exceeds the value referred to in section 1B(2), 1C(c)(i) or 1D(a), if a person has deliberately diluted the substance or article with the intention of ensuring that its concentration of radioactivity does not exceed that value.
c
after section 1G (contaminated substances or articles) insert—
Historic radium contamination: Northern Ireland1GA
A substance or article is not radioactive material or radioactive waste where the substance or article arises from the remediation of land contaminated by radium and—
a
the substance or article contains Ra-226 or its progeny;
b
in the absence of Ra-226 or its progeny, the substance or article would not otherwise be radioactive material or radioactive waste under this section;
c
the contamination occurred prior to 13 May 2000; and
d
the concentration of Ra-226 and any progeny resulting from the decay of Ra-226 does not exceed the following values—
i
for a substance or article which is a solid or a substance which is relevant a liquid, 1Bq/g;
ii
for a substance which is any other liquid, 1Bq/l; or
iii
for a substance which is a gas, 0.01 Bq/m3.
3
After section 14 (accumulation of radioactive waste) insert—
Radioactive waste: requirements to be imposed on persons authorised to dispose of and accumulate radioactive waste: Northern Ireland14A
1
The chief inspector shall require a person who holds an authorisation to carry on the radioactive substances activity described in section 13(3) (disposal of radioactive waste) or section 14(2) (accumulation of radioactive waste) to—
a
achieve and maintain an optimal level of protection of members of the public;
b
accept into service adequate equipment and procedures for measuring and assessing exposure of members of the public and radioactive contamination of the environment;
c
check the effectiveness and maintenance of equipment as referred to in paragraph (b) and ensure the regular calibration of measuring instruments; and
d
seek advice from a radioactive waste adviser in the performance of the tasks referred to in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c).
2
In this section “radioactive waste adviser” means a person with the knowledge, training and experience needed to give radioactive waste management and environmental radiation protection advice in relation to radioactive waste in order to ensure the effective protection of members of the public, and whose competence in that respect is recognised by the chief inspector.
4
In section 16 (grant of authorisations) in so far as it extends to Northern Ireland after subsection (8) insert—
8A
In exercising the functions under this Act in relation to radioactive material and radioactive waste, the chief inspector shall observe the requirements of Article 30(4) of the Basic Safety Standards Directive6.
8B
This subsection applies where the chief inspector is exercising functions under this Act in relation to radioactive substances activity where there are no radioactive discharges specified in conditions in the authorisation—
a
the chief inspector shall impose appropriate conditions in the authorisation concerning—
i
the monitoring, or the evaluation, of radioactive airborne or aqueous discharges into the environment; and
ii
the reporting to the chief inspector of the results of such monitoring or evaluation;
b
for the purposes of this subsection, where the chief inspector is exercising functions under this Act in relation to a nuclear power station or nuclear reprocessing plant, the conditions imposed in the authorisation shall require the monitoring of radioactive discharges and reporting to the chief inspector of such information on radioactive discharges as the appropriate Minister directs; and
c
notification and recording of significant events to ensure compliance with Article 96 of the Basic Safety Standards Directive.
5
In section 17A (review of authorisations) in so far as it extends to Northern Ireland—
a
in the title, after “authorisations”, insert “and inspection of premises authorised in this Act”;
b
at the end of subsection 1(a) omit “and”;
c
at the end of subsection 1(b) omit “.” and insert “;”;
d
following subsection 1(b) insert—
c
shall make appropriate periodic inspections of premises for which an authorisation was granted in accordance with section 13 or 14 of this Act; and
d
when establishing an inspection programme for the purposes of subparagraph (1)(c) in relation to radioactive substances activities, shall take into account the potential magnitude and nature of the hazard associated with such activities, a general assessment of radiation protection issues in the activities, and the state of compliance with the requirements of this Act.
e
after subsection (1), insert—
1A
Where the chief inspector makes an inspection of an undertaking that is a radioactive substances activity, the chief inspector shall—
a
record the findings of that inspection; and
b
communicate those findings to the operator of the authorised premises.
6
In section 30A (recovery and disposal of orphan sources) in so far as it extends to Northern Ireland in subsection (1) after “, to” insert “control and”.
7
In section 47 (general interpretation provisions) in so far as it relates to Northern Ireland—
a
in subsection (1)—
i
at the appropriate alphabetical place insert—
“the Basic Safety Standards Directive” means Council Directive 2013/59/EURATOM laying down basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from the exposure to ionising radiation and repealing Directives 89/618/Euratom, 90/641/Euratom, 96/29/Euratom, 97/43/Euratom and 2003/122/Euratom;
ii
for the definition of “the appropriate Minister” substitute—
“the appropriate Minister” means, in relation to Northern Ireland, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs;
iii
omit the definition for “the HASS Directive”;
iv
omit the definition of “high-activity source”;
v
after the definition of “the appropriate Minister” insert—
“high-activity sealed source” means a sealed source for which the activity of the contained radionuclide is equal to or exceeds the relevant activity value laid down in Annex III of the Basic Safety Standards Directive;
vi
for the definition of “orphan source” substitute—
“orphan source” has the same meaning as in the Basic Safety Standards Directive;
vii
after the definition of “waste” insert—
1A
Any reference to “the HASS Directive” in this Act shall be deemed to be a reference to the Basic Safety Standards Directive.
1B
Any reference to “high-activity source” in this Act shall be deemed to be a reference to “high-activity sealed source”.
b
in subsection (5A) for “Council Directive 96/29/EURATOM” substitute “Council Directive 2013/59/EURATOM”;
c
for subsection (6) substitute —
In the application of this section to Northern Ireland, the reference in subsection (2) to the Secretary of State shall have effect as a reference to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.
8
In Schedule 1A (tables of NORM industrial activities, radionuclides and summation rules) in so far as it relates to Northern Ireland—
a
in Table 1, NORM Industrial Activities, in Part 2, after the row “China clay extraction” insert a further row called “Geothermal energy production”;
b
for Table 2 (concentration of radionuclides: NORM industrial activities) substitute—
Table 2Concentration of radionuclides: NORM industrial activities
Radionuclide
Solid or relevant liquid concentration in becquerels per gram (Bq/g)
Any other liquid concentration in becquerels per litre (Bq/l)
Gaseous concentration in becquerels per cubic metre (Bq/m3)
U-238sec
1
0.1
0.001
U-238+
5
10
0.01
U-234
5
10
0.01
Th-230
10
10
0.001
Ra-226+
1
1
0.1
Pb-210+
5
0.1
0.1
Po-210
5
0.1
0.1
U-235sec
1
0.1
0.0001
U-235+
5
10
0.01
Pa-231
5
1
0.001
Ac-227+
1
0.1
0.001
Th-232sec
1
0.1
0.001
Th-232
5
10
0.001
Ra228+
1
0.1
0.01
Th-228+
1
1
0.001
c
for Table 3 (concentration of radionuclides) substitute—
Table 3Concentration of radionuclides
Radionuclide
Concentration in becquerels per gram (Bq/g)
H-3
102
Be-7
10
C-14
10
F-18
10
Na-22
0.1
Na-24
1
Si-31
103
P-32
103
P-33
103
S-35
102
CI-36
1
CI-38
10
K-42
102
K-43
10
Ca-45
102
Ca-47
10
Sc-46
0.1
Sc-47
102
Sc-48
1
V-48
1
Cr-51
102
Mn-51
10
Mn-52
1
Mn-52m
10
Mn-53
102
Mn-54
0.1
Mn-56
10
Fe-52+
10
Fe-55
103
Fe-59
1
Co-55
10
Co-56
0.1
Co-57
1
Co-58
1
Co-58m
104
Co-60
0.1
Co-60m
103
Co-61
102
Co-62m
10
Ni-59
102
Ni-63
102
Ni-65
10
Cu-64
102
Zn-65
0.1
Zn-69
103
Zn-69m+
10
Ga-72
10
Ge-71
104
As-73
103
As-74
10
As-76
10
As-77
103
Se-75
1
Br-82
1
Rb-86
102
Sr-85
1
Sr-85m
102
Sr-87m
102
Sr-89
103
Sr-90+
1
Sr-91+
10
Sr-92
10
Y-90
103
Y-91
102
Y-91m
102
Y-92
102
Y-93
102
Zr-93
10
Zr-95+
1
Zr-97+
10
Nb-93m
10
Nb-94
0.1
Nb-95
1
Nb-97+
10
Nb-98
10
Mo-90
10
Mo-93
10
Mo-99+
10
Mo-101+
10
Tc-96
1
Tc-96m
103
Tc-97
10
Tc-97m
10
Tc-99
1
Tc-99m
102
Ru-97
10
Ru-103+
1
Ru-105+
10
Ru-106+
0.1
Rh-103m
104
Rh-105
102
Pd-103+
103
Pd-109+
102
Ag-105
1
Ag-108m+
0.1
Ag-110m+
0.1
Ag-111
10
Cd-109+
1
Cd-115+
102
Cd-115m+
102
In-111
10
In-113m
102
In-114m
10
In-115m
102
Sn-113+
1
Sn-125
10
Sb-122
10
Sb-124
1
Sb-125+
0.1
Te-123m
1
Te-125m
103
Te-127
103
Te-127m+
10
Te-129
102
Te-129m+
10
Te-131
102
Te-131m+
10
Te-132+
1
Te-133+
10
Te-133m+
10
Te-134
10
I-123
102
I-125
102
I-126
10
I-129
0.01
I-130
10
I-131+
10
I-132
10
I-133
10
I-134
10
I-135
10
Cs-129
10
Cs-131
103
Cs-132
10
Cs-134
0.1
Cs-134m
103
Cs-135
102
Cs-136
1
Cs-137+
1
Cs-138
10
Ba-131
10
Ba-140
1
La-140
1
Ce-139
1
Ce-141
100
Ce-143
10
Ce-144+
10
Pr-142
102
Pr-143
103
Nd-147
102
Nd-149
102
Pm-147
103
Pm-149
103
Sm-151
103
Sm-153
10
Eu-152
0.1
Eu-152m
10
Eu-154
0.1
Eu-155
1
Gd-153
10
Gd-159
102
Tb-160
1
Dy-165
103
Dy-166
102
Ho-166
102
Er-169
103
Er-171
102
Tm-170
102
Tm-171
103
Yb-175
102
Lu-177
102
Hf-181
1
Ta-182
0.1
W-181
10
W-185
103
W-187
10
Re-186
103
Re-188
102
Os-185
103
Os-191
102
Os-191m
103
Os-193
102
Ir-190
1
Ir-192
1
Ir-194
102
Pt-191
10
Pt-193m
103
Pt-197
103
Pt-197m
102
Au-198
10
Au-199
102
Hg-197
102
Hg-197m
102
Hg-203
10
TI-200
10
TI-201
102
TI-202
10
TI-204
1
Pb-203
10
Pb-210+
0.01
Pb-212+
1
Bi-206
1
Bi-207
0.1
Bi-210
10
Bi-212+
1
Po-203
10
Po-205
10
Po-207
10
Po-210
0.01
At-211
103
Ra-223+
1
Ra-224+
1
Ra-225
10
Ra-226+
0.01
Ra-227
102
Ra-228+
0.01
Ac-227+
0.01
Ac-228
1
Th-226+
103
Th-227
1
Th-228+
0.1
Th-229
0.1
Th-230
0.1
Th-231
102
Th-232
0.01
Th-232+
0.01
Th-232sec
0.01
Th-234+
10
Pa-230
10
Pa-231
0.01
Pa-233
10
U-230
10
U-231
102
U-232+
0.1
U-233
1
U-234
1
U-235+
1
U-235sec
0.01
U-236
10
U-237
102
U-238+
1
U-238sec
0.01
U-239
102
U-240+
102
Np-237+
1
Np-239
102
Np-240
10
Pu-234
103
Pu-235
102
Pu-236
1
Pu-237
102
Pu-238
0.1
Pu-239
0.1
Pu-240
0.1
Pu-241
10
Pu-242
0.1
Pu-243
103
Pu-244+
0.1
Am-241
0.1
Am-242
103
Am-242m+
0.1
Am-243+
0.1
Cm-242
10
Cm-243
1
Cm-244
1
Cm-245
0.1
Cm-246
0.1
Cm-247+
0.1
Cm-248
0.1
Bk-249
102
Cf-246
103
Cf-248
1
Cf-249
0.1
Cf-250
1
Cf-251
0.1
Cf-252
1
Cf-253
102
Cf-253+
102
Cf-254
1
Es-253
102
Es-254+
0.1
Es-254m+
10
Fm-254
104
Fm-255
102
Any other solid or non-aqueous liquid radionuclide that is not of natural terrestrial or cosmic origin
0.01, unless the concentration which gives rise to the same 10 µSv/year dose criteria as used in column 2 of this table can be calculated by reference to the IAEA publication “Application of the Concepts of Exclusion, Exemption and Clearance” IAEA Safety Standards Series NO. RS-G-1.7.