asked the Minister for Transport whether it is correct that the only site in the world where ocean dumping of nuclear waste is conducted is off the south-west coast of Ireland; and whether, in the light of the dangers involved, the Government will take a stand at the next meeting of the London Dumping Convention in February 1983 to seek an immediate halt to all dumping of nuclear waste in the area.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Written Answers. - Dumping of Nuclear Waste.
22.
The site in the Atlantic, about 740 kilometres south west of Ireland and approximately equidistant from Ireland, Spain, France and Britain, is the only site used by countries which have ratified the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and other Matter, 1972, (the London Convention) for the dumping of nuclear waste at sea.
Under the Convention the dumping of high level radioactive waste at sea is prohibited. Dumping of low level radioactive waste takes place in accordance with the Convention and the International Atomic Energy Agency Recommendations required by the Convention and also in accordance with the OECD Multilateral Consultation and Surveillance Mechanism for Sea Dumping of Radioactive Wastes. The Nuclear Energy Board have advised me that the dumping of radioactive waste in the site in question in accordance with those conditions does not in the board's opinion give rise to any dangers to man or to his environment.