Vol. 431 No. 5
8 Mr. Cullen asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications if his attention has been drawn to the amount and type of radioactive material which is stored in Lyons Estate, Rathcoole, County Dublin; if this presents a potential hazard; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The conditions under which radioactive material is stored at Lyons Estate, Rathcoole, County Dublin do not create a radiological or health hazard. It is low-level waste produced from medical and veterinary procedures carried out at the various laboratories on the UCD campus and the Veterinary College, Ballsbridge. The majority of the waste is in solid form consisting of phials, test tubes, pipette tips and paper tissues stored in strong plastic bags and labelled in accordance with international standards. There is also some low-level liquid waste stored in 25-litre drums. The radioactive waste is stored in a secure outhouse which is remote from occupied areas. The store is permanently locked and a warning sign is attached to the door.
It is difficult to give an exact figure for the total activity in the store at any time but it is estimated to be less than 300 megabecquerels. The waste is disposed of when the level of activity has decayed over time to that specified in the licence permitting its disposal as ordinary domestic waste.
Does the Minister consider this is a suitable place in which to store radioactive waste? Could it not be stored in an approved dump; in particular, could it not be stored underground? Does the Minister really consider it sensible to talk about its being stored until its radioactivity has been reduced to an acceptable level, considering that it takes anything between one and 300 years for it to lose a half life, as they call it? How does he expect that any of us will be around to see the happy day when it will have reached an acceptable level at which it can be dumped as ordinary waste?
There are different levels of radioactive waste. This is low level radioactive waste and, therefore, can be disposed of, presumably, within our lifetime. Inspection of storage of radioactive substances is carried out by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland. In the case of sealed sources there are at present some 3,200 gigabecquerels of radioactive waste in storage. These sources were imported before the introduction of regulatory controls which stipulate that they be returned to the supplier at the end of their useful life. In the case of stored, unsealed sources, the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland monitors the decay of the radioactive content until it has reached levels at which its disposal as ordinary domestic waste is permitted. Storage is generally for a period of five to ten years. I am satisfied that the licensing arrangements ensure that all sources of radioactivity are at present stored in a manner which does not pose a hazard to people or property.
Will the Minister agree that in speaking in the present tense he is evading the spirit of the question dealing with future hazards? Does he realise that the plastic to which he referred deteriorates faster than the material being stored? There is need for an emergency plan, of which every citizen would be aware, because there is a danger that we could have another accident at Chernobyl during the next ten years having regard to the fact that the cecophachus is deteriorating at a rapid rate. Indeed, in such an event a higher level of radiation would be emitted. In 1986, only 4 per cent of the material was released. Will the Minister outline the plan that will be implemented in the event of an accident?
I will be as helpful as I can but this question relates specifically to the storage facility at the Lyons Estate in Rathcoole. If the Deputy wishes to table a question I might be more informative.
(Limerick East): In his reply the Minister referred to the fact that the store was locked. Apart from a bolt and lock system are any other security precautions taken?
Houses all over Ireland, which are locked, are broken into every night.
Not this one, it seems. I do not have the information available, as that supplementary question was not anticipated.
(Limerick East): Bad anticipation.
Does the Minister expect to be in a position at any stage to outline a more sophisticated method for the safe storage of radioactive material other than putting it into bags in a cow shed and putting a padlock on that building?
I cannot think of a flippant reply to a flippant question.
It was not flippant.
Unfortunately, it is accurate.
I mentioned that the Minister replied in the present tense. Does he realise that the material involved is long lasting? What plans would be implemented in the event of an accident occurring having regard to the existing inadequate security arrangements?
There is no evidence to suggest that the present security arrangements are inadequate and I do not accept that they are. This domestic waste is stored for a period of between five to ten years before being disposed.
