The Environment Agency (EA) has been discussing with Magnox Ltd its intention to treat intermediate level waste (ILW) at the Berkeley Site, and at Hinkley Point A, by encapsulating it in concrete boxes. This is to make the waste safe for long term storage, and enable its subsequent disposal.

The need to apply for increased tritium limits arises from the heat generated during the encapsulation process driving off some of the tritium within the waste. Magnox Ltd anticipates that this may increase discharges of gaseous tritium above the low limit specified in Berkeley’s current environmental permit. While Magnox plans to apply to the EA to change this limit, the EA has not yet received any application from Magnox to increase the limit for gaseous tritium for this purpose.

The EA will only change the permit limit if it is satisfied that this is necessary and that people and the environment remain properly protected.

The EA will continue to keep local stakeholders informed of any developments with the Berkeley Site environmental permit, through the local Stakeholder Group.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

The answer given on 21 March 2017 (HL6105) was in response to a question concerning safety improvements in the defence nuclear weapons programme. The response was in relation to radiological incidents at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), none of which have ever posed any risk to the health of the public or the environment. The incidents raised by the noble Baroness did occur; a small number of residents were evacuated in 2010 as a precautionary measure due to a fire in a non-nuclear area. I can confirm that in none of the incidents cited was it assessed that there was any radiological risk to the public.

The risk of any of these incidents recurring has been greatly reduced due to subsequent improvements to the infrastructure at AWE.

Activity at AWE sites is governed by a number of permits, authorisations, licences and consents for managing waste and discharges to the environment. AWE plc and the Ministry of Defence continuously monitor their compliance and inspections are routinely undertaken by the relevant regulatory authorities, including the Environment Agency.

The answer given on 21 March 2017 (HL6105) was in response to a question concerning safety improvements in the defence nuclear weapons programme. The response was in relation to radiological incidents at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), none of which have ever posed any risk to the health of the public or the environment. The incidents raised by the noble Baroness did occur; a small number of residents were evacuated in 2010 as a precautionary measure due to a fire in a non-nuclear area. I can confirm that in none of the incidents cited was it assessed that there was any radiological risk to the public.

The risk of any of these incidents recurring has been greatly reduced due to subsequent improvements to the infrastructure at AWE.

Activity at AWE sites is governed by a number of permits, authorisations, licences and consents for managing waste and discharges to the environment. AWE plc and the Ministry of Defence continuously monitor their compliance and inspections are routinely undertaken by the relevant regulatory authorities, including the Environment Agency.