Written Answers. - Radioactive Waste.
Seán Crowe
Ceist:
514
Mr. Crowe
asked the
Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government
if his attention has been drawn to the research which indicates that Scottish salmon have been found with traces of radioactive waste emanating from Sellafield; his views on whether this has implications for Irish fish stock; his plans to investigate the possibility that Irish fish are polluted by TC 99; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18569/03]
Seán Crowe
Ceist:
539
Mr. Crowe
asked the
Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government
if his attention has been drawn to the research which indicates that traces of radioactive waste, TC 99, have been found in Scottish salmon purchased in London stores; and his plans to raise the possibility of Irish fish being contaminated by Sellafield discharges with the British Government.
[18556/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 514 and 539 together.
I am aware of reports that tests carried out by Southampton University on behalf of Greenpeace found traces of technetium-99 in Scottish farmed smoked salmon bought at leading retail outlets in Britain.
The Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, RPII, has since the early 1980s been implementing a comprehensive programme to monitor radioactive contamination in the Irish marine environment and in Irish seafood produce. More than 300 samples of fish, shellfish, seawater, seaweed and sediment are analysed each year for a wide range of radionuclides including technetium-99, and the results of RPII monitoring are published. The RPII operates in close cooperation with the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland in the programme and related research.
According to the RPII, radiation doses received via the consumption of fish and shellfish are significantly less than 1% of the annual average radiation dose received from natural sources of radiation. It has concluded, therefore, that the consumption of fish and shellfish does not pose a health hazard from a radiological point of view.
The impact on the Irish marine environment of increased technetium-99 discharges, which began in 1994, has been closely monitored, and the RPII is of the view that these discharges do not pose any risk to salmon farming, which is carried out along the west coast, and that the consumption of Irish farmed salmon does not constitute any health risk from a radiological perspective. I also understand that the levels reported in Scottish farmed salmon are many times below EU safety limits.
The concerns of Ireland, and a number of countries, about technetium-99 discharges from Sellafield, were raised last week at the ministerial meeting of the OSPAR Commission. The ministerial declaration expresses these concerns and the view of the countries concerned that the discharges should cease immediately. While the Government views as positive the UK request to BNFL to suspend technetium-99 discharges for nine months, our objective is to see a permanent and total cessation of such discharges.
