WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2495/97 by Patricia McKENNA to the Commission. Dumping of radioactive waste in Beaufort's Dyke, between Scotland and Northern Ireland
Date: 1997-07-09
Institutions: European Parliament, MCKENNA
Subjects: EU control, European Commission, Ireland, Scotland, United Kingdom, environmental protection, exchange of information, marine pollution, radioactive waste













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91997E2495

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2495/97 by Patricia McKENNA to the Commission. Dumping of radioactive waste in Beaufort's Dyke, between Scotland and Northern Ireland  


Official Journal C 060 , 25/02/1998 P. 0136 





WRITTEN QUESTION P-2495/97 by Patricia McKenna (V) to the Commission (9 July 1997)Subject: Dumping of radioactive waste in Beaufort's Dyke, between Scotland and Northern IrelandIn late June 1997 the British Government admitted that radioactive waste was dumped in the Beaufort's Dyke between Scotland and Northern Ireland in the 1950s and 1960s. It is believed that up to two tonnes of radioactive waste may have been involved.In 1995, newspaper reports suggesting that radioactive waste had been dumped at that site were rebutted by the British authorities. I sought to file a complaint with the Commission about this matter but was told by Commission officials that no radioactive waste had been dumped in Beaufort's Dyke.Given the revelations that the information provided to the Commission by the British authorities was false, will the Commission now conduct an investigation on this matter?Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (1 August 1997)In early 1996, following representations from several sources, the Commission investigated media allegations that the United Kingdom had dumped radioactive waste in 1981 in the area of the Irish Sea known as Beaufort's Dyke. A formal statement, received from the United Kingdom at that time, confirmed that no such dumping had taken place, although, for the purposes of testing a new shipboard disposal apparatus, dummy containers, which did not contain radioactive waste, were consigned to Beaufort's Dyke in that year. The United Kingdom authorities further stated that radioactive waste had never been dumped in Beaufort's Dyke at any time but, although supplied in good faith, this latter statement has since been found to be incorrect.On 1st July 1997, the authorities informed the Commission that, regretfully, a renewed search of old files had now revealed that a small quantity of laboratory waste and luminous materials was dumped in Beaufort's Dyke in the 1950s. The wastes fall within the definition of low and intermediate radioactive waste and, including packaging, amounted to only a few tonnes of material. The quantity of radioactivity involved has been stated to be low and regular monitoring since the 1960s has not revealed any measurable effect on radioactivity in the area concerned.Nevertheless, and although the United Kingdom was not a Member State at the time of the dumping, the Commission has asked for more precise information in order to consider what further steps may be appropriate, if any, in order to guard against any future consequences.