Guidance

Accumulating radioactive waste that you cannot transfer because of Brexit

When you can accumulate radioactive waste over the limits in your permit (or EPR exemption) because you cannot transfer it overseas due to Brexit.

From:
Environment Agency
Published
1 April 2019
Last updated
18 September 2019 — See all updates

This publication was withdrawn on

This regulatory position statement has expired.

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Accumulating radioactive waste that you cannot transfer because of Brexit

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Details

Because of Brexit you may not be able to transfer radioactive waste (including sealed sources that are normally returned to the supplier) to destinations outside the UK. As a result you may not be able to comply with limits in your permit which restrict:

  • the time period you can accumulate radioactive waste for, and
  • the number of radioactive sources or quantity of radioactive waste you can accumulate

You may not be able to comply with the maximum accumulation period of 26 weeks if you are using the exemption that allows you to accumulate the following:

  • waste electrodeposited sources
  • tritium foil sources
  • waste sealed sources that are not high activity sealed sources or similar sources

This Brexit regulatory position statement (Brexit RPS) allows you to accumulate radioactive waste above the limits in your permit or the exemption. It applies to sealed sources and to other radioactive waste that you transfer for recycling or reprocessing.

Technetium-99m generators which are routinely returned to the supplier for recycling are not considered to be radioactive waste. If the return of generators to the supplier is delayed you should continue to store these in accordance with your permit. Any generators that you will never be able to return to the supplier should be regarded as radioactive waste and managed in accordance with this Brexit RPS until you find a suitable disposal route.

You must continue to comply with the other requirements in your permit and the conditions in this Brexit RPS.

You must tell the Environment Agency before you use this Brexit RPS using the contact details provided in the document.

This Brexit RPS will expire on 30 April 2020. After this date you must comply with your permit.

Published 1 April 2019
Last updated 18 September 2019 + show all updates

  1. We've extended this Brexit RPS until 30 April 2020. After this date you must comply with your permit.

  2. First published.

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